The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Mr. Martins Ugwu, who fraudulently used the medical certificate of his best friend to secure a position at the Federal Ministry of Health.
Ugwu, who was a Senior Medical Officer II on Grade Level 13, was found to have impersonated his friend, Dr. George Daniel Davidson.
He allegedly stole the licence from his friend for whom he was best man during a wedding in 2006.
They both hail from Orukpa in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Mr. Ugwu was sentenced to four years and 2 months jail term by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi.
The ICPC had filed a seven-count charge against Ugwu in February 2016, accusing him of falsifying documents to gain employment in 2006.
The charges included making false statements to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, contravening Section 25 (1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under Section 25 (1)(b) of the same act.
For over a 9-year period, Ugwu worked as a medical doctor under the pseudonym Dr. George Daniel Davidson, earning a total of ₦17.2 million in salaries and allowances.
Using the fake documents, he also obtained a staff identity card, applied for annual leave, and even sought postgraduate training for a Master’s degree in Epidemiology Practice.
During the sentencing hearing on Tuesda, ICPC Counsel Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha argued for the restitution of all earnings the convict fraudulently received during his tenure. Citing Sections 319 and 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Akponimisingha emphasized the need to recover public funds.
Delivering judgment, Justice Kutigi condemned the rising trend of quack doctors, describing it as a grave threat to public health.
He sentenced Ugwu to six months imprisonment for each of the seven counts, to run consecutively, amounting to a total of four years.
The judge also ordered Ugwu to refund the ₦17.2 million he earned fraudulently.
Should he fail to meet the restitution order, an additional one-year prison term would be added to his sentence.
Justice Kutigi reiterated that the conviction and sentencing were meant to serve as a deterrent to others who might consider engaging in such fraudulent practices.
He warned that impersonation, particularly in critical professions like medicine, poses significant risks to society and would not be tolerated.
The ICPC said it us satisfied with the judgment, recommiting itself to tackling corruption and ensuring justice in the public service.