The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Solomon Ogodo, a Superintendent with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for forgery, employment racketeering, and fraud.
According to the ICPC, Ogodo defrauded unsuspecting job seekers of N12.2 million under false pretenses. The commission shared this development via its official X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday.
Mr. Ogodo was first arraigned in December 2022 before Justice M.S. Idris at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja under charge number CR/503/2022. He faced a five-count charge related to the scam, which involved deceiving Nigerians by forging job offers purportedly securing employment with the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS).
During the trial, ICPC Prosecutor Mr. Hamza Sani presented evidence showing how Ogodo forged provisional appointment offers, targeting vulnerable job seekers. The charges against him violated Section 13 and Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000, Section 363 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, as well as Section 1 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Ogodo was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment without an option of fine on counts 1 to 3. Additionally, he received a two-month jail term or a fine of N5,000 on count 4 and two months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine for count 5.
While Ogodo’s counsel, Mr. A.A. Nwoye, requested that his jail term be converted to community service, the prosecution pushed for compensation to victims in line with Section 319 (1) a of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
This conviction underscores ICPC’s commitment to addressing corruption and employment fraud while ensuring justice for victims defrauded by unscrupulous actors.
