The Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Mr. Saifullahi Haruna, an Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) who was involved in employment fraud.
Flowing from a petition received against him, the convict was arraigned before a Katsina State High Court on a one-count charge which borders on obtaining by deceit and abuse of office.
According to the ICPC, Mr. Haruna, sometime in 2021, fraudulently obtained the sum of N140,000.00 in installments from his victim by means of an act constituting a felony, under the pretense that he was going to secure employment for him in the Nigeria Immigration Service.
He, however, failed to secure the said employment, nor was he able to refund the money until a petition was written against him to the ICPC.
Mr. Haruna, however, pleaded guilty and was thus convicted to a one-year imprisonment or an option of a fine of 10,000.00 pursuant to a plea-bargain and sentencing agreement entered into with the ICPC.
The presiding judge, Honourable Justice A.B Abdullahi, ruled that the court, having considered the application for plea bargain and given the fact that the defendant has since refunded the amount subject to the offence, “the court hereby accepts the Plea Bargain and accordingly offers the convict an option of fine in lieu of imprisonment.
“The convict is hereby sentenced to pay a fine of N10,000.00 (Ten Thousand Naira) in default of payment of which, the convict shall serve one year imprisonment. The court further ordered that the amount recovered be paid to the nominal complainant, Adamu Ibrahim, if not already done.”.