- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ilorin zonal office, on Tuesday arraigned a 36-year-old lecturer of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Mustapha Abdulwasiu, before the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin for alleged employment scam.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ilorin zonal office, on Tuesday arraigned a 36-year-old lecturer of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Mustapha Abdulwasiu, before the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin for alleged employment scam.
Mustapha was slammed with nine counts bordering on employment scam and obtaining money under false pretences by the anti-graft body before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye.
The EFCC alleged that Mustapha, who is a lecturer at the Accounting Department of the institution, had at different times in 2018 and this year defrauded many job seekers, including couples, on the pretext of helping them secure employment in the school.
The charges read in part, “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between June and July 2018 in Offa, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N600,000from one Amubieya Raphael Oluwafemi by false pretences that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Amubieya Raphael Oluwafemi and his wife, Amubieya Remi Janet, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006.
“That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between December 2018 and February 2019 in Offa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N550,000 from one Mustapha Kabir by false pretences that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and you obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Mustapha Kabir and his wife, Ganiyatu Jimoh, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 , 2006.”
Mustapha pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In view of the plea, the prosecuting counsel, A. A. Adebayo, applied for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case and also the remand of the accused person in a correctional centre.
The defence counsel, M. O. Balogun, did not oppose the application for adjournment but urged the court to allow him to make an oral application for the bail of the accused person, saying that he was just served with the charge file.
Adebayo, however, said the accused person was served with the charges on October 14.
Justice Oyinloye after confirming that Mustapha was served since October 14, directed that the bail application be filed and adjourned the hearing till November 7, 2019.
The judge also ordered that the accused person be remanded in the Federal Correctional Centre, Mandala, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Meanwhile, the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, said on Tuesday that it was aware of the allegations levelled against one of it lecturers, Mustapha, by the EFCC.
The Head, Public Affairs Department of the institution, Olayinka Iroye, said, “Mustapha is a lecturer in the polytechnic; he is on an indefinite suspension and he has been recommended for dismissal by the Staff Disciplinary Committee, but the recommendation is awaiting the Council’s approval.”
