A verdict was reached by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja, finding Ramat Mba guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirmed the conviction in a statement released on Sunday.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Mba had deceptively replicated the letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, including Kyari’s signature. Mba faced charges of cheating, fraud, and forgery under specific sections of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.
The charges against Mba included defrauding a job seeker, Ismail Oladipupo, of N700,000 by falsely promising him employment at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA). The ICPC’s prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani, presented evidence of Mba’s misleading practices during the trial, involving promises of employment at various government agencies.
Justice Ibrahim Muhammad delivered the verdict, convicting Mba on multiple counts related to cheating and forgery, while dismissing one count related to felony. Sentencing for Mba has been scheduled for Thursday, May 16, 2024, with instructions to remand her in Suleja Correctional Centre until then.
