The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officer, Mr. Saifullahi Haruna, for his involvement in an employment scam.
Mr. Haruna was arraigned before the Katsina State High Court on a one-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and abuse of office.
According to the ICPC, the officer had in 2021 fraudulently collected N140,000 in instalments from an unsuspecting victim under the pretext of securing employment for him in the NIS.
Despite collecting the money, Haruna failed to deliver the promised job and did not refund the money until a petition was filed against him with the ICPC.
During the court proceedings, Mr. Haruna pleaded guilty and entered a plea bargain agreement with the ICPC.
The presiding judge, Honourable Justice A.B. Abdullahi accepted the plea bargain, saying that the defendant had since refunded the sum involved.
In his ruling, Justice Abdullahi sentenced Haruna to one year in prison with an option of paying a fine of N10,000.
The court also directed that the recovered sum be returned to the victim, Adamu Ibrahim, if it had not already been done.
The ICPC, through its spokesperson Demola Bakare, reaffirmed its commitment to ridding public service of corruption and bringing culpable officers to justice.
