Yobe civil servant arraigned over alleged extortion, forgery and impersonation

Yobe civil servant arraigned over alleged extortion, forgery and impersonation

Allegations of extortion, impersonation, and forgery have led to the arraignment of Mohammed Ali Garba, a civil servant employed by the Yobe State Government, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

 

Garba made an appearance before Justice M.A. Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja as per the anti-corruption agency’s directive.

 

It has been alleged that the defendant fabricated a letter pertaining to an ongoing investigation against the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, supposedly signed by the Commission’s Director of Operations.

 

He was arraigned under charge No: CR/478/2022 at the trial court.

 

Furthermore, it is claimed that the accused individual utilized the forged letter of inquiry to extort three million five hundred thousand Naira from the aforementioned provost, under the pretense of resolving the nonexistent investigation with the Director of Operations.

 

According to ICPC, his actions violate Section 364 of the Penal Code Act and sections 10 and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

 

Upon being presented with the charges, the accused individual pleaded not guilty. His legal representatives, A.D. Atanda and M.K. Akanbi, subsequently submitted a bail application, which met no opposition from the prosecution counsel, Mashkur Salisu.

 

The hearing for the bail application has been scheduled for January 15, 2023.

 

In the meantime, the administrative bail granted to him by the commission will remain in effect as per the Judge’s order.