A staff member of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mrs. Ndubuisi Joy Cheneme; and Mr. Godwin Sabo Takat of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing have been arraigned for alleged employment racketeering.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) carried out the arraignment of the duo.
They are also accused of obtaining money by pretence in addition to engaging in employment racketeering.
The ICPC preferred nine charges against the defendants before Honourable Justice C.O. Oba of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court 31, sitting in Apo, Abuja.
They are accused of defrauding job seekers of over N12 million.
The charges against the defendants include violating the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, of 2006, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, of 2000, and the Penal Code Act, of 1990.
One of the counts accuses Mr. Godwin Sabo Takat of inducing Ndubuisi Joy Chineme to pay N4,530,000.00 into his First Bank account for securing employment for job seekers in the Federal Civil Service.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The ICPC counsel requested an adjournment for adequate preparation for the trial proceeding, a request the defence counsel did not oppose.
The defendants’ counsels filed separate bail applications and requested the Judge to admit their clients to bail on liberal terms pending trial. The ICPC did not object to the bail applications made by the defence counsels.
Justice Oba admitted the defendants to bail at N2m with two sureties each, who must have N20m in their accounts and two landed properties in the FCT, to be verified by the court.
The judge ordered that the defendants be remanded in Suleja and Kuje Correctional Centers pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case till 13th January, 2025 for the commencement of trial.
