Justice A.Y Shafa of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, yesterday, remanded one Jim Chimezie Okolo at the Kuje Correctional Centre for impersonation and job racketeering.
Okolo was prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
The offences were contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) and Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
When the matter was called by the court registrar, the defendant pleaded not guilty. Consequently, the prosecuting counsel, Vivian Oporomo, a Principal State Counsel from the Ministry of Justice, applied that the defendant be remanded in correctional custody to enable the prosecution to open its case.
But the defendant’s counsel, Abubakar Marshal, told the court that the charge was served on his client on Friday, February 2, and urged the court to exercise discretion on bail application for the defendant.
But the judge interjected and told the defence counsel that the bail application was not yet ripe for hearing. Also objecting, the prosecution asked that the defendant be remanded in custody pending the next adjourned date.
After listening to the arguments of the parties in the suit, the judge adjourned till February 13, for hearing of the bail application, and April 25, for trial.
Okolo was accused of collecting N800,000 under false pretence with the promise to secure employment for one Esther Kanu at the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). He was also accused of collecting another N3.5 million from one Ekene Jennifer Obi to secure Federal Government jobs for some people.
The defendant was said to have been parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives and Executive Director of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) among other things.
It was further learnt that Okolo ran into Kanu, an old acquaintance, and told him that he was a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, a consultant in the Presidency, and had a lot of connections.
Okolo also told Kanu that the FRSC had job openings and that the Corp Marshal of the FRSC had given him five slots for immediate hiring or replacement.
He also informed Kanu that the process of securing a job would take one month, and anyone interested would only need to pay N1,000,000 for each slot. In exchange for placing his sister Esther in the FRSC, Kanu gave him N800,000. Eventually, no job was secured for Esther.
On her encounter, Ms. Jennifer Obi informed DSS investigators that Okolo presented himself to her at some point in January 2022 as a member of the House of Representatives (Anambra Central) with contacts in all Federal Government agencies. Obi expressed interest in helping a few of her friends find employment through Okolo, who obtained N3.5 million for the purpose.
Thereafter, Kanu and Obi, via their lawyers, filed a complaint with the DSS against Okolo and others posing as members of the House of Representatives and engaging in employment scams and racketeering.
Meanwhile, Okolo is currently on trial in charge No: CR/109/22, before Justice Bature of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, for yet another fraud-related criminal case.
The 17-count criminal case is related to criminal intimidation, manufacturing false evidence, providing false information with the aim to deceive a public servant, and providing false testimony while under oath.
