Ramat Mercy Mba, a businesswoman and mother of five based in Abuja, has been sentenced to prison for her role in an employment scam involving the forgery of the late Abba Kyari’s signature, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mba faced multiple charges brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). She was arraigned before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwagwalada, where Justice Ibrahim Mohammad presided. After deferring the sentencing last week, the judge ordered her remand at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
In June 2022, Mba was charged with five counts of cheating, fraud, and forgery, in violation of Nigeria’s Corrupt Practices Act and the Penal Code. The ICPC presented evidence showing that in 2020, Mba defrauded several job seekers out of N4.5 million, promising them positions with the ICPC and the National Air Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).
During the trial, it was revealed that Mba forged a letter on the letterhead of the Chief of Staff’s office, claiming to request the recruitment of three individuals. However, evidence presented in court indicated that the late Abba Kyari did not authorize the letter.
On May 9, 2024, Justice Ibrahim Mohammad convicted Mba on counts related to cheating and forgery but discharged her on one count related to a felony. During the sentencing, the judge imposed a six-month prison term or a fine of N100,000 for counts 1, 2, and 3, and a one-year sentence or N150,000 fine for the forgery charge, considering her status as a first-time offender and mother.