By Yusuf Olukokun
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted a mother of four who guilty of forging late Abba Kyari’s signature, a former Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari.
Justice Ibrahim Mohammad was the presiding judge at the Hight court in Abuja, and he deferred the conviction of the woman till May 16 2024, but insisted the woman should be remanded in Suleja Prison before the sentencing.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission arraigned Ramat Mba before court in June 2022, on the account of cheating, forgery and fraud which are against the Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.
“THAT you RAMAT MERCY MBA (F) sometime in October, 2019 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently induce one Mr Ismail Adewole Oladipupo, an unsuspecting job seeker and collected the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only N700,000.00 from him which sum was paid into your private account under the guise of securing employment for him at the National Space Research and Development Agency. (NASDRA), AND you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria”, one of the accounts on which she was charged stated.
During the court trial, Mr. Hamza Sani, ICPC prosecutor, showed evidence to the court on how Ramat defrauded many of her victims under the guise of helping them to secure employment with Federal Government agencies.
Also, the evidence tendered by the prosecutor visibly displayed how Ramat forged a letter headed paper of the office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari and his official signature.
However, a correspondence letter written by the Chief of Staff was tendered for the court to see, stating that Abba Kyari knew nothing about the authorisation of the forged later.
In the judgement of the Justice, the mother of four was convicted on 1, 2,3 and 5 which deals with cheating and forgery while she was discharged on count 4—which deals with felony.