Solomon Ogodo, an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has been sentenced to seven years in prison for defrauding job seekers out of N12.2 million with a fraudulent employment scheme. The case was prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which also secured a court order for Ogodo to repay all the funds he collected from his victims.
The ICPC informed the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, that Ogodo forged provisional appointment letters and promised unsuspecting applicants jobs in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS). Prosecutor Hamza Sani highlighted that Ogodo’s actions violated several laws, including the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and the Advanced Fee Fraud Act 2006.
Ogodo’s defense counsel, A.A. Nwoye, requested a lighter sentence, suggesting community service instead of imprisonment. However, Justice M.S. Idris rejected the request, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime. “The convict’s actions have undermined public trust and caused significant harm,” the judge said during sentencing.
In addition to the seven years of imprisonment on three counts, Ogodo was also given two additional months for other charges, one of which included a N5,000 fine. Furthermore, under Section 319(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Justice Idris ruled that Ogodo must fully reimburse his victims for the money he defrauded them of.
