Court convicts woman for forging Kyari’s signature

An FCT High Court in Gwagwalada has convicted one Mrs Ramat Mercy Mba for forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, the late Abba Kyari.

Justice Ibrahim Mohammad however deferred the sentencing of the convict till May 16.

He directed that the mother of five be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Mba in June 2022 on a five-count charge bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery contrary to 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.

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Some of the charges 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.”

During the trial, ICPC’s prosecutor, Mr Hamza Sani, led evidence before the court on how the convict dishonestly induced her victims in the guise of securing employment for them with government agencies like Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Further, the documentary evidence tendered showed that the convict fraudulently forged a letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari, Abba Kyari, and his signature.

The prosecution had tendered letters; one in which Kyari had requested the Chairman of ICPC to recruit three individuals into the commission.

However, the late Chief of Staff, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as exhibit, said himself and his office did not authorise the letter.