The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has successfully secured the conviction of Mr. Martins Ugwu, who impersonated his friend and used his certificate to secure employment at the Federal Ministry of Health.
Ugwu was charged with making false statements to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to gain employment in 2006, a crime that violated the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000. The ICPC filed a 7-count charge against him in February 2016.
According to the Commission, Ugwu drew a total of ₦17.2 million in salaries and allowances between 2006 and 2016 while working as a medical doctor with fraudulent credentials.
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He also used the fake documents to procure a staff identity card, apply for annual leave, and attempt to enroll in a post-graduate training program.
At the sentencing hearing, ICPC Counsel, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, requested that the court order the restitution of all the money Ugwu earned while impersonating Dr. George Daniel Davidson.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi stressed the growing issue of quack doctors and declared that the conviction of Ugwu would serve as a warning to others seeking to enter the medical field without the required qualifications.
Ugwu was sentenced to six months in prison for each of the seven counts, to be served consecutively. Additionally, he was ordered to repay all salaries and allowances earned during his fraudulent employment. Failure to comply with the restitution order would result in an additional one-year sentence.
Francis Adakole
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