The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has successfully secured the conviction of Mr. Solomon Ogodo, a Superintendent with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for his involvement in forgery, employment racketeering, and fraud.
In a post shared on its X platform on the 10th of December, 2024, the ICPC revealed that Ogodo was found guilty of defrauding job seekers to the tune of ₦12.2 million.
He had been arraigned before Honourable Justice M.S. Idris of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in December 2022, facing a five-count charge. The charges outlined how Ogodo deceived innocent Nigerians, convincing them to pay substantial amounts of money under the false promise of securing positions within the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS).
Throughout the trial, ICPC’s prosecutor, Mr. Hamza Sani, presented evidence showing how Ogodo forged appointment letters for some of the applicants.
His actions were found to be in violation of multiple laws, including the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, the Penal Code Act, and the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.
In a bid to lessen his sentence, Ogodo’s counsel, Mr. A.A. Nwoye, requested that the court convert the imprisonment into community service.
However, the prosecution urged the court to order Ogodo to compensate his victims by returning the stolen funds, citing Section 319(1)(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
In his judgment, Justice Idris sentenced Ogodo to seven years in prison for counts one to three, without the option of a fine.
He also received a two-month sentence (or a ₦500,000 fine) for count four, and two months’ imprisonment without the option of fine for count five.
This conviction serves as a strong reminder of the ICPC’s commitment to rooting out corruption and fraud, particularly within public institutions.