Court jails UDUTH Accountant over ₦60 million fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has successfully secured the conviction of Lukumanu Sani Waziri, an accountant at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, for corruption and abuse of office.
Waziri was found guilty of diverting over ₦60 million in public funds through unauthorized access to the Government Integrated Financial Information System (GIFMIS).
In 2021, ICPC charged Waziri and two others before Justice M. Abdulgafar of the Federal High Court, Sokoto Division, in a case numbered FHC/ICPC/122021. The charges included nine counts of fraud and corruption.
During the trial, ICPC Prosecutor Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha presented evidence showing how Waziri, a GIFMIS user at UDUTH, manipulated financial records to transfer millions into private accounts, including his own and that of his accomplice, Monday Michael Adejo.
Waziri was also accused of fraudulently altering bank account details for state taxes meant for Kogi, Edo, Bauchi, and Zamfara states, redirecting the funds into Adejo’s First Bank account.
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One of the charges stated, “That you, LUKUMANU SANI WAZIRI, and Monday Michael Adejo, conspired in April 2020 to unlawfully transfer ₦20,619,956.8 from the Government Integrated Financial Information System into Adejo’s private account, knowing the funds were proceeds of corruption, thereby committing an offence punishable under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).”
On Friday, Justice Abdulgafar found Waziri guilty on seven of the nine charges. He sentenced Waziri to:
One-year imprisonment or a ₦200,000 fine for each of Counts 1 and 2.
One-year imprisonment without the option of a fine for Counts 3, 4, and 5.
Three years imprisonment or a ₦500,000 fine for each of Counts 8 and 9.
The ICPC lauded the ruling as a victory in the fight against corruption in public service.
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