The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a 24-year prison sentence against Mr. Garuba Duku, a retired Director of Finance and Administration at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), over his involvement in a ₦318 million fraud case.
The conviction was announced in a statement released on Thursday by the ICPC’s Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Mr. Demola Bakare.
According to the statement, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja found Duku guilty on a six-count charge of corruption and money laundering filed by the ICPC (suit no: FHC/ABJ/CR/608/2022).
Investigations by the commission revealed that between 2012 and 2013, Duku diverted ₦318,250,000 belonging to the AMMC into his personal Fidelity Bank account. The stolen funds were reportedly received in batches of ₦56.25 million, ₦71 million, ₦53 million, ₦54 million, ₦46 million, and ₦36.3 million, before being transferred to Bureau de Change operators for “unauthorised purposes.”
ICPC prosecutors told the court that Duku’s actions were a clear abuse of public trust and a violation of financial regulations.
During the trial, Duku tried to defend himself by claiming he had handed the money over to his superiors, but the court rejected his claim due to lack of evidence.
Justice Omotosho, in his ruling, said the ICPC had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, describing the evidence as “credible, consistent, and sufficient.”
The judge then sentenced Duku to four years in prison on each of the six counts, to run concurrently. Alternatively, Duku may pay a fine equal to five times the amount involved in each count — a total of about ₦1.6 billion.
Reacting to the judgment, Mr. Bakare hailed the conviction as a major win in the fight against corruption, stating:
“This judgment underscores ICPC’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that public officers who betray the trust placed in them are brought to justice. No one entrusted with public funds is above the law.”
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He added that the commission will continue to pursue corruption cases with diligence and professionalism to protect public funds.
This conviction adds to ICPC’s recent successes. In May 2024, the commission secured the conviction of a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant, Christopher Oluchukwu, for defrauding job seekers. Similarly, in May 2019, former ICPC board nominee Dr. Saad Alanamu and businessman Salman Sulaiman were sentenced to 24 years in prison for bribery offences.
