ICPC arraigns Boundary Commission’s admin director, one other for forgery

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned one Mrs Aishatu Abdullahi, a Director of Administration and Supplies with the National Boundary Commission, and Mrs Ghaji Rahila, an Assistant Chief Accountant of the same agency, over allegations of forgery and abuse of office.

The duo were arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

ICPC, in a five-count, accused the defendants of conspiring amongst themselves to allow the first defendant (Ghaji Rahila) to participate in the senior promotion exercise, as well as her confirmation to the next rank of Chief Accountant (Level 14) at the National Boundary Commission while she was simultaneously employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited.

The Commission also accused the first defendant, Ghaji Rahila, of forging an admission letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda (purportedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara), intending to support her application for leave of absence at the National Boundary Commission.

Count 3 of the charge read: “That you, Ghaji Rahila (F) and Aishatu Abdullahi (F), sometime in 2021 or thereabout in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, as Assistant Chief Accountant and Director of Administration & Supplies of the National Boundary Commission respectively, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: conferring unfair advantage when you allowed the said Ghaji Rahila to participate in the senior staff promotion exercise at the National Boundary Commission while she was at the same time in the employment of Galaxy Backbone Ltd; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

They, however, pleaded not guilty when the five-count charge was read to them.

Counsel to ICPC, Fatimah Abdullahi Bardi, on the grounds of the “not guilty” pleas entered by the two defendants, applied to the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.

Counsel to the first and second defendants, Akinyemi Aremu and Adebayo Eniwaye, respectively, moved applications for bail on behalf of their clients.

In view of the non-opposition to the bail application by the prosecution counsel and other grounds cited in the applications, the presiding judge granted bail to the two accused persons, with the condition that they provide two sureties each. The sureties must be residents of Abuja, civil servants at the rank of director in any federal parastatal, with evidence of first employment and last promotion.

The trial judge added that “such directors must sign letters of undertaking to produce the defendants in court throughout their trial and agree to be put in prison upon failure to produce the first and second defendants in court.”

“The said defendants shall also deposit their travelling documents with the Registrar of the court. In the event that they fail to meet these conditions, they shall be remanded in Suleja Prison until the next adjourned date,” the judge ruled.

The case was adjourned to the 17th of March, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing.