Ex-FCTA director sentenced to 24 years in jail for N318m fraud

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has convicted Garuba Mohammed Duku, a retired Director of Finance and Administration with the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), for corruption and money laundering involving N318 million.

The court found Duku guilty on a six-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022.

Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt through evidence and witness testimonies. Duku was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on each of the six counts, with an option of a fine equivalent to five times the amount stated in each count, bringing the total fine to about N1.6 billion. The sentences are to run concurrently.

In a statement yesterday, the ICPC confirmed that Duku was convicted and sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment, noting that investigations revealed he fraudulently diverted N318.25 million belonging to the AMMC into his personal Fidelity Bank account between 2012 and 2013.

The commission said Duku received several payments totalling the amount, including N56.25 million, N71 million, N53 million, N54 million, N46 million, and N36.3 million, which he later transferred to Bureau de Change operators and used for unauthorised purposes.

During the trial, the ICPC dismissed Duku’s claim that the funds were disbursed to his superiors, saying no evidence was presented to support the assertion.