Corruption: ICPC Arraigns ex-Federal College Of Education Provost, Registrar, Others In Delta

A former Provost, Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba, Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius and a former Director of works, in the institution, Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude, has been arraigned in court over alleged fraudulent acts.

Also arraigned before a Federal High court, Asaba was the registrar of the institution, Ugbeche Linus Ifeanyi.

BIGPENNGR reports that the trio were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), following a petitions by a whistleblower and the Head of Physical Planning Division of Works and Services Department of the college, Joseph Ameh.

The petition had alleged series of corrupt practices in the institution allegedly involving the incumbent Provost, Josephine Anene-Okakwa, acting director of works, Ibhafidon Ehimen with the support of members of the governing council of the institution.

Ameh, who was sacked last year by the institution following his petitions to the commission, had disclosed that he had threats of sack and threats to life among others.

“It became obvious that the threat to terminate my appointment for daring to speak against unprofessional, unsafe practices and deep rooted corruption and sharp-sharp practices by management and the governing council ally, Mr. Femi Ibrahim could not coerce me to yield to the decision to grant further illegal variations and payments outside contract conditions proposed in the meeting where the contractor has been overpaid with over N70m that has been shared by management and governing council ally in percentage fee received for no service rendered (pure national robbery).

Ameh had also revealed among other things the variation and overpayment by the former director of works, Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude, Anene-Okakwa and governing council chairman, Ibrahim Olufemi, to Davoris Nigeria limited on construction of administrative block at the college amongst other projects; plot to override outstanding and defective works; and payments outside architects verified works and costing instructions to the QS Yahaya Gwani on block of 12 classroom constructed by Shull Point Ventures.

The petitioner had further noted that “Over the years, fraud and financial improprieties have been going on as a matter routine and I have suffered all manners of official, psychological and physical intimidation for daring to speak out to the extent that in anticipation of my reactions, I have been labelled a petition writer, queried, threatened to be sacked and warned not to speak out against all these improprieties. This has also come to pass with my termination letter just received.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) on 11, February, 2021 arraigned the former Provost, Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba, Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius, former Director of works, Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude and the institution’s registrar, Ugbeche Linus Ifeanyi, on 6 count charge bothering on corruption and fraudulent acts at the Federal High court, Asaba.

In the suit marked FHC/ASB49c/2020 between Federal Republic of Nigeria, (Complainant) and Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius, Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude and Ugbeche Linus Ifeanyi (Defendants), and a charge sheet obtained by our correspondent read as follows:

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude (m) on or about the month of March, 2013 at Asaba, Delta state conspired to use your office as the provost and director of works respectively at Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba to confer unfair advantage on Moropol Construction Limited by recommending and approving payment of N33,823,333.90 (Thirty three million eight hundred and twenty three thousand three hundred and thirty three naira ninety kobo) representing 50% of the contract sum awarded in favour of Moropol Construction Limited by Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba in the month of February 2013 when no such job had been done by the contractor and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 26(1)(c) and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude (m) on or about the month of March, 2013 at Asaba, Delta state conspired to use your office as the provost and director of works respectively at Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba to confer unfair advantage on Moropol Construction Limited by asserting in your minutes dated 26th, March, 2013 that the contractor deserved 59% of the contract sum when no such job had been done by the contractor and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude (m) on or about the month of March, 2013 at Asaba, Delta state conspired to use your office as the provost and director of works respectively at Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba conspired to knowingly make false statements to the bursar of the college in the course of performance of his official duties by asserting in your minutes dated 26/3/2013 that the work on the construction of 350 capacity lecture theater at permanent site of the college has progressed well and the contractor deserved 50% of the contract sum when no such work had been done and therefore committed an offence contrary to section 26(1)(c), 26(I)(a) and punishable under section 26(I)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Chukwuka Jonas Ifechukwude (m) on or about the month of March, 2013 at Asaba, Delta state conspired to use your office as the provost and director of works respectively at Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba conspired to knowingly make false statements to the bursar of the college by asserting in your minutes dated 26/3/2013 that the work on the construction of 350 capacity lecture theater at permanent site of the college has progressed well and the contractor deserved 50% of the contract sum when no such work had been done and therefore committed an offence contrary to section 25(I)(a) and punishable under section 25(I)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Ugbeche Linus Ifeanyi (m) on or about the month of February, 2013 at Asaba, within this honourable court as the provost and registrar of Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba respectively conspired to use your said offices to confer Corrupt Advantage on one Egbulem John Paul Nkenna a relative of Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius wife by offering employment to the said Egbulem John Paul Nkenna when he did not possess relevant qualification for employment into the public service of Nigeria for lack of National Youth Service Certificate and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26(I)(c) and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

“That you Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius (m) and Ugbeche Linus Ifeanyi (m) on or about the month of February, 2013 at Asaba, within this honourable court as the provost and Registrar respectively of Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba used your said offices to confer Corrupt Advantage on one Egbulem John Paul Nkenna who is a relation to Dr. Ezoem Nwanze Ignatius by offering employment to the said Egbulem John Paul Nkenna when he did not possess relevant qualification for employment into the public service of Nigeria for lack of National Youth Service Certificate and you thereby committed an offence contrary section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

The case was however adjourned till the 20, April, 2021 for continuation of hearing.