Okonjo Iweala’s signature forger bags four years in prison

Raymond Azuka, who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for forging a reference letter purportedly signed by a former minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in order to gain employment at the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSPM) as Security Assistant 1A has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Justice M.B. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Nyanya, yesterday, found Azuka guilty of two counts out of the six counts bordering on forgery, which he committed between May 2013 and August 2014 and for which he was prosecuted by the EFCC.

Azuka was alleged to have intentionally induced the NSPM to employ him by presenting a forged reference letter purportedly made by Okonjo-Iweala, recommending him as a worthy officer fit for employment, an offence contrary to Section 320(b) of the Penal Code.

He was found guilty on counts two and three, in which he was accused of forging the reference letter.

Justice Idris held that the prosecution proved the counts beyond every reasonable doubt and sentenced Azuka to four years on each of the counts, to run concurrently, without an option of fine.