The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday brought charges against, Aishatu Abdullahi, the Director of Administration and Supplies at the National Boundary Commission, in a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court.
She was charged alongside, Rahila Ghaji, an Assistant Chief Accountant within the agency.
The allegations suggest that they conspired to facilitate Ghaji’s participation in a senior promotion exercise and her advancement to the rank of Chief Accountant (Level 14) at the Commission while Galaxy Backbone Limited still employed her.
Ghaji is accused of having forged an admission letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda, which was allegedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara, to substantiate her request for a leave of absence from the National Boundary Commission.
According to the ICPC, this offence contravenes Section 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and is punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.
Upon the reading of the charges in court, both defendants entered a plea of not guilty.
In light of their plea, prosecuting counsel Fatimah Bardi requested the court to schedule a trial date to allow the anti-graft agency to present its case.
Conversely, the defendants’ counsel, Akinyemi Aremu and Adebayo Eniwaye, respectively, submitted bail applications for their clients.
They requested that the court grant bail to the defendants pending the hearing and resolution of the case.
The prosecution did not oppose the bail applications.
Justice Yusuf Halilu granted bail to the defendants, stipulating that each must provide two sureties.
The judge specified that the sureties must be residents of Abuja and hold the position of director in any federal parastatal, with proof of their initial employment and most recent promotion.
Furthermore, he required that the directors acting as sureties for each defendant sign letters of undertaking, committing to ensure the defendants’ presence in court throughout the duration of their trial.
The judge also stated that these directors would face imprisonment should they fail to produce the defendants as required.
Additionally, the judge instructed the defendants to surrender their travel documents to the court’s registrar.
He ordered that the defendants be held at the Suleja Correctional Centre until they fulfill their bail conditions.
Justice Halilu then postponed the case until March 17 for the initiation of hearings.
