The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it has arraigned the Director of Administration and Supplies at the National Boundary Commission, Aishatu Abdullahi and the Assistant Chief Accountant, Ghaji Rahila, over allegations of forgery and abuse of office.
In a five-count charge, ICPC accused the defendants of conspiring to allow the first defendant, Ghaji Rahila, to participate in the senior promotion exercise and secure her confirmation to the rank of Chief Accountant (Level 14) at the National Boundary Commission, while simultaneously being employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited.
A statement on Wednesday by the ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, disclosed that the commission also accused Rahila of forging an admission letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda, purportedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara, to support her application for a leave of absence from the National Boundary Commission.
The duo was arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
The statement 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 by allowing Ghaji Rahila to participate in the senior staff promotion exercise at the National Boundary Commission while Galaxy Backbone Limited simultaneously employed her. 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.”
Bakare said the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them.
He said the ICPC’s counsel, Fatimah Bardi, applied for a date for the commencement of the trial while counsel for the defendants, Akinyemi Aremu and Adebayo Eniwaye, moved applications for bail on behalf of their clients.
Bakare said Justice Halilu granted the defendants bail on the condition that they provide two sureties each, who must be Abuja residents and civil servants of the rank of director in any federal parastatal.
He said the judge ordered that the sureties must also provide evidence of their first employment and last promotion, sign letters of undertaking to ensure the defendants appear in court throughout the trial and agree to imprisonment should they fail to produce the defendants in court.
Bakare quoted the judge as saying “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 (defendants) fail to meet these conditions, they should be remanded in Suleja Prison till the next adjourned date.”
The case was adjourned until March 17, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing.
