Man seeks accounting job, using forged Okonjo-Iweala’s signature

Juliana Francis

Mr. Raymond Azuka will be sentenced comes December 7, 2018 for forging a reference letter purportedly signed by Okonjo-Iweala, former Finance Minister of Nigeria.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on November 14, 2018 secured the conviction of Raymond Azuka, for offences bordering on forgery, committed between May 2013 and August 2014.

Azuka was standing trial before Justice M.B. Idris of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Nyanya, for a six-count charge, in which he was accused of intentionally inducing the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting, NSPM, to employ him as Security Assistant 1A.

Justice Idris found him guilty on counts two and three, in which he was accused of forging the reference letter purportedly signed by Okonjo-Iweala and fixed December 7, 2018 for sentencing and hearing of other charges.

The Acting Head, Media & Publicity, Tony Orilade, said that Azuka presented a forged reference letter purportedly made by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recommending him as a worthy officer fit for employment. The offence is contrary to section 320(b) of the Penal Code.  The EFCC also accused him in counts one, four, five and six of forgery and intentionally inducing the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund “to employ you as Account Officer II by presenting a forged reference letter” purportedly signed by Okonjo-Iweala, then minister of finance.”

In another development, the EFCC arraigned Valentine Nnadozie and Archangel Global Services Limited before Justice M.B. Idris of the Nyanya High Court, Abuja on a one-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust contrary to section 312 of the Penal Code.

Nnadozie is alleged to have between February and April 2017 defrauded George Seaman of Frame Highway Company Limited in a business deal worth N16.8 million involving the supply of 3,000 tonnes of stone base. The deal was breached, as Nnadozie despite collecting the money, neither made the supplies, nor made a refund.

“Rather than honour the terms of the contract, Nnadozie instead, supplied only 480 tonnes of stone base at N2.4 million. He dishonestly converted the sum of N14, 400, 000 to personal use in violation of the Legal Contract between you and Frame Highway Company Limited,” said Orilade.

He pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to him. Prosecuting counsel, Elizabeth Alabi, thereafter, asked for a date for trial to commence. Counsel for the defendant, Emeka Okoye, however, brought before the court an application for the bail of his client, arguing that the offence was bailable.

While adjourning to January 21, 2019 for “hearing”, Justice Idris granted the defendant bail in the sum of N3 million, and a surety in like sum, who must be resident in Abuja.