The bail application filed by Chidiebere Cyril Ndigwe, a fake Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, facing charges of employment scam and obtaining money under false pretence, has been rejected by the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Command, brought Ndigwe to court on a two-count charge for allegedly defrauding job seekers by falsely presenting himself as the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital CMD.
The charges involve claims made on Facebook regarding the sale of employment slots, with degree holders required to pay N400,000 and National Diploma holders asked for N200,000 per job slot.
It is alleged that Ndigwe, along with others still at large, collected approximately N18 million from job seekers before it was discovered that the offered employment opportunities were fraudulent.
Count two of the charge reads: “That you Chidiebere Cyril Ndigwe and others still at large, between 11th April 2023 and 25th April 2023, at Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Six Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira from Mrs Rukayat Joke Yusuf through Nkechi Nkwegu Onwoshi United Bank of Africa Account Number 2298797088 under the false pretence that the money was for the cost of jobs for graduates, Ordinary National Diploma, and National Certificate of Education holders, a pretence which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
Nevertheless, Niger entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
In response to his plea, Mustapha Kaigama, the prosecuting counsel, submitted a 32-paragraph affidavit opposing the bail application. Kaigama argued that the defendant lacked a verifiable address, and highlighted that it took the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) 23 days to conduct surveillance leading to Niger’s arrest in Ebonyi State.
Despite the prosecution’s stance, defence counsel C.I. Chime urged the court to grant bail to his client.
Justice Adenike Akinpelu, the presiding judge, ruled that the defendant did not present sufficient evidence to convince the court to grant bail. The case was adjourned to a later date, which will be communicated to all the counsels involved.
