A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja, has found Mrs. Ramat Mercy Mba guilty of forging the signature of the late Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday.
She has been convicted of fraud and forgery charges brought against her by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Mrs. Mba, a mother of five, was accused of deceitfully taking money from job seekers, promising them employment in government agencies like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and ICPC.
The counts read: “THAT you RAMAT MERCY MBA (F) sometimes in the month of 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.”
She even went as far as forging a letter purportedly from Abba Kyari’s office, requesting the recruitment of individuals by ICPC.
However, evidence presented during the trial showed that Kyari had no involvement in the letter.
Justice Ibrahim Muhammad convicted the mother of five on counts 1, 2, 3, and 5 for cheating and forgery, while she was discharged on count 4, which pertains to felony.
Consequently, Mrs. Mba has been remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre until her sentencing on May 16, 2024.
