Professor bribes ICPC officer with $40k, promise of house in Abuja to compromise anti-graft agency

For offering its officer $40,000 and a house in Abuja as rewards for retrieving evidence, the ICPC  has arraigned a professor under investigation for bribery and inducement.

Professor John Kester Ifeanyichukwu was initially being investigated for corruption and money laundering as petitioned by the presidency.

In a single-count charge brought before Honourable Justice A.O. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court 12, sitting in Apo, Abuja, ICPC is accusing the professor of issuing a cheque valued at $40,000 to a staff of the Commission.

The cheque was part of the $50,000 and a house in Abuja which he promised the officer he approached to help him  retrieve his MacBook S/N CIML8BUGDTY3, MacBook S/N W80204J7ATN and iPhone pro11 which were in the custody of ICPC.

ICPC, in a Charge No: CR/025/2022, informed the court of how the defendant allegedly induced one of its operatives to smuggle out a particular iPhone and a laptop and to replace them with a dummy that was to be provided by his personal assistant

The accused person’s action is contrary to Section 18 (b) and punishable under Section 18 (d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Ifeanyichukwu pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

He was granted bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and one of them must have a landed property in Abuja.

His travels document were to be submitted to the court , too.

The judge adjourned the case to 21st of June.