Civil Servant Declared Wanted Over N36 Fraud

An employee of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Joseph Tony Ogah, has been declared wanted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over an alleged fraud.

Ogah was accused of defrauding the Federal Government of N36.2 million, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by spokesperson of the agency, Rasheedat Okoduwa.

It was said that the suspect, an indigene of Idah, Kogi State, was part of a crime syndicate that defrauded the Federal Ministry of Environment.

“Preliminary findings by ICPC revealed that the syndicate used a company called Soft Alliance Disco, Limited to pay huge salary arrears totalling N36, 194, 636.00 to fictitious staff on the payment platform of the Ministry of Environment,” the statement said.

Ogah, 38 years old, allegedly, in connivance with the others perpetrated and benefited from the fraud as N9.4 million was paid into his account with the United Bank for Africa (UBA). A statement of accounts obtained from UBA revealed that the money was drawn from the Ministry of Environment and paid into the account (1006521816) belonging to Ogah.

The Commission, upon the findings requested Ogah to appear before it and answer questions regarding the transfer of money from another Ministry into his account, but he failed to do so.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture was requested on several occasions through letters to compel him to appear before ICPC but responses to the letters show that Ogah has absconded from his duty post for over three months now.

The Ministry, in response to the allegation and his failure to report to work, has stopped the payment of his salary and other entitlements since July 2015.

“Ogah is currently at large which has prompted the Commission to declare him wanted for fraud. Dark-complexioned Ogah’s last known address was Road 121, House 24, Gwarinpa Housing Estate, Abuja,” the statement added.