THE Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has arraigned a retiree, Nyong Effiong Major, over his alleged involvement in pension fraud.
A statement released by the ICPC on Thursday said Major, who retired from the Federal Ministry of Justice after 32 years of service, was charged before Justice H. Muazu of a Federal Capital Territory High Court over allegations of corruptly receiving pensions from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where he never worked.
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In a three-count charge, the ICPC accused the pensioner of receiving N667.871.43 for eight years as pension from NYSC besides his entitled pension from the Ministry of Justice.
The offense was committed between May 2010 and April 2018 and contravened Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and is punishable under Section 68 of the same Act.
One of the charges read, “That you Nyong Effiong Major, sometime between May 2010 and April 2018 or thereabout in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did receive the sum of N667,871.43 which was obtained by an act constituting a felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence, knowing that the money had been so obtained and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
The alleged offense was uncovered in 2018 during a verification exercise by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).
When it was discovered that Major was receiving a monthly pension from the NYSC, he claimed he was receiving the payment on behalf of an uncle, one Lawrence Etim Major, who retired from the organisation (NYSC).
However, although the said uncle, Lawrence Etim Major, retired from NYSC as a gardener, he was not entitled to any pension.
Major pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
His counsel, M. Adejuwon, prayed the court to grant him bail on health grounds in an oral application.
The bail application was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, N. Onwuka, as she told the court that all offenses under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, were bailable.
The trial judge admitted the retiree to bail in the sum of N500,000 and a surety in like sum. The court ruled that the surety must be a resident of the FCT.
The matter was then adjourned to March 29, 2022, for commencement of the hearing.
In another development, the ICPC has also arraigned a Gombe State secondary school principal, Bello Muhammed Abubakar, over alleged fraudulent activities and other ancillary offenses.
In a two-count charge brought before Justice Halima S. Muhammed of Gombe State High Court, the ICPC alleged that the accused person had swindled unsuspecting admission seekers to the tune of about N4 million.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance