How Ex-Registrar Of Veterinary College Fraudulently’ Received Double Salaries For 11 Years, Court Asked Him To Pay Back 11-Year Emolument
Yakubu Busari
A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos under Justice Christy C. Dabup has convicted and sentenced Ex-Registrar of the Federal College Of Veterinary Medical Laboratory Technology, (FCVMLT) ,Vom Plateau State Mallam Muhammad Nasir Ambursa to six months imprisonment with an option N100,000.00 as fine and one month imprisonment with an option of N50,000.00 as fine for making false statements regarding his employment as Registrar of the Federal College Of Veterinary Medical Laboratory Technology, (FCVMLT) ,Vom Plateau State in Jos South Local Government Council.
The Court held that the defendant was convicted on two count charge which is punishable under section 138 of the administration of criminal act with a fine of 100,000.00 for six months and one month with N50,000.00 that he should be remanded in Jos correctional centre if fails to pay the fine.
The judge also ordered that the defendant should refund all his salary, allowances, benefits, he enjoyed while occupying the office which is to be computerized by the Federal Government of Nigeria and returned it into the federal account.
Hon Justice Christine Dabup while delivering the judgment said the defendant was a former staff of JSC ,(Judicial Service Commission ,and was compulsorily retired sometimes in 2003 on count charge of his misconduct .
However ,the judge also said when the defendant applied for employment with the NVRI he didn’t explain his position after he saw the advertisements published in Daily Trust newspaper of 29th ,August 2006 ,adding that linking his present appointment letter to that of the NJSC and JSC Kebbi state to enjoy another pensionable job is a total failure to explain himself to the penal and couldn’t indicate it in his curriculum vitae .
The defendant claims that his appointment letter read ,1979 and he was retired prematurely sometimes in 2003 when he was 45 years of aged and I spent 21 years in service but the ICPC charged him under section 138 of penal court law of Northern Nigeria of 1963 bothering on two issues which the prosecution counsel was able to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt that the act committed by the defendant was a total breach of civil service rule .
The judge disclosed that his position as the chief registrar didn’t indicate that he applied for transfer of service after his former appointment letter was prematurely terminated by his first employer, Judicial Service Commission, JSC ,in Kebbi State over unruly behaviour he exhibited while in office .
The court order for restitution of the administrative privileges he has ever enjoy while occupying the office and the court described the intentional act omission as an ingredients established by the prosecution counsel in his case to prove beyond reasonable doubt through the documents P1,P2,&P3 from the foundation so all plea by defendant lack merit, so all the issues were resolve in favour of the prosecution counsel .
According to the court ,the Federal Republic of Nigeria should recomputerise the defendant salary ,allowances and benefits and charge him to pay them all Mohammed Nasiru whose claimed that after his compulsory retired in office in 2003 and pick fresh contract work with JSC and when the advertised vacancy for the seat Registrar with NVRI, Vom.
The judge, Christy Dabup , jailed Mohammed Nasiru after convicting him for furnishings NVRI with wrong documents of his position , as he refuses Input compulsory retired letter b, on all the 2 counts filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Commission (ICPC) act of 25 subsection 2&6 of the commission .
Accordingly to judgment jail terms ranging from six months to one month , which are to run concurrently.
His convictions on two six months for count 1, one month for count 2, of which to recompute all his salary, allowances and benefits with fine of N100,000.00 and N50,000.00 respectively.
The judge ordered that the terms of imprisonment shall run concurrently beginning from the 4th August, 2022, the date he was arraigned.
It implies that Former staff of JSC, reappointed as a pensioner will spend the shortest sentence which is six in jail.
According to the judge, an ICPC witness, who testified during the trial, pointed out that Mr Mohammed Nasiru failed with D1-D11, through the witnesses.
Barr. Chesil Drenkat told journalists that the judgment is well captured and explicit very clear considering the manner they have been pursuing the matter.
He stressed that the judgment was well Marshalled and is very direct because the two issues canvassed largely in favour of the prosecution counsel which he succeeded in proving his case beyond reasonable doubt .
Barr Chelsil disclosed that the appointment of Mohammed Nasiru was wrongly employed and he has to return all declaratory statement to refund all entitlement given to him .
Counsel to the defendant ,Barr .M.I .Hassan said ,we are very grateful to my Lordship for explosive judgment having carefully consider the 1st count charge is N100,000.00 and second count charge is N50,000.00 .
He said they’re going to apply for records of proceedings to see whether to appeal the judgment which decision would be taken after.
Barr.Hassan explained that his client appointment with NVRI earlier in 2007 spark off someone to petition the ICPC that he linked his present appointment letter with JSC and the court find merits in what the prosecution counsel said .
