ICPC secures conviction of UDUTH accountant for alleged N60m fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has successfully secured the conviction of Lukumanu Waziri, an accountant at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, over charges of corruption and abuse of office.

In a statement released on Sunday, the ICPC disclosed that Waziri was found guilty of diverting over ₦60 million in public funds.

The funds were illicitly accessed through the Government Integrated Financial Information System (GIFMIS), a platform designed to enhance transparency in public financial management.

The case, filed under number FHC/ICPC/122021, was first brought before Justice M. Abdulgafar of the Federal High Court in Sokoto in 2021. Waziri was arraigned alongside two accomplices on a nine-count charge that included fraud and corruption.

During the trial, ICPC prosecutor Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha provided evidence showing how Waziri, as a designated GIFMIS user, manipulated financial records to transfer large sums of government money into private accounts.

One of the charges stated:

“That you, LUKUMANU SANI WAZIRI (M), and Monday Michael Adejo (M) sometime in April 2020… conspired to take possession of the sums of ₦6,127,465.75, ₦8,552,824.60, and ₦5,939,666.49… totaling ₦20,619,956.8 from the Government Integrated Financial Information System into the First Bank Account of Monday Michael Adejo… knowing that such funds form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, namely: corruption and fraud, thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 18 and 15(1)(d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended).”

Justice Abdulgafar convicted Waziri on seven of the nine charges against him. He was sentenced on Friday as follows:

One year imprisonment or a ₦200,000 fine each on Counts 1 and 2.
One year imprisonment without the option of a fine on Counts 3, 4, and 5.
Three years imprisonment or a ₦500,000 fine each on Counts 8 and 9.
The sentences are to run concurrently.

 

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