The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Christiana Goka, a former Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over allegations of misappropriating public funds totalling N5.3 million.
According to a statement by the ICPC on Friday, Mrs Goka was brought before a the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Kwali, Abuja, on five counts of misappropriation of funds and making false statements.
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The statement said Mrs Goka, who previously served as the Head of the Department of Research Monitoring Information System at the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA), allegedly misappropriated N5,164,656 from funds earmarked for a botched management retreat in Dutse, Jigawa State, in 2017.
Charges
One of the charges states that Mrs Goka, in 2017, while serving as Deputy Director conferred a corrupt advantage upon herself by diverting N5,164,656—part of the total N5,398,656 allocated for the management retreat.
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The ICPC noted that this act violates Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Another charge alleges that Mrs Goka, on 18 February 2022, made a false statement to ICPC investigator Sado Danjuma, denying that N1 million was returned to her in cash by a colleague, Bassey Ikpeme, under the directive of the then Director General of DTCA, the late Abduljalil Suleiman.
The ICPC alleges that her statement was false, thereby violating Section 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
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Mrs Goka pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At the commencement of the trial on Thursday, the prosecution counsel, David Nwaze, presented two witnesses, who testified and were cross-examined.
Bail
Trial judge, J.A. Aina, granted the defendant bail in the same terms as those of the previous administrative bail offered her by ICPC during investigations. Thr bail conditions require her to,a.ong other things, provide a surety who is a public servant at Grade Level 15 or above and resides in Abuja.
The court said her surety must also submit a letter of appointment, proof of last promotion, an official identity card and a passport photograph.
Mr Aina adjourned the case for continuation of the trial.
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Friday’s proceedings came on the heels of similar prosecution of former and serving public officers by the ICPC.
In January, the commission re-arraigned Abubakar Sambo, Director of Finance and Account at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), over an alleged N1.84 billion fraud.
Mr Sambo was accused of diverting funds meant for project supervision exercises into personal accounts.
His case, initially before Bolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had to restart following the judge’s transfer.
He was subsequently arraigned before Musa Liman and granted bail under the previous conditions.
Similarly, in another high-profile case, the ICPC charged three former aides of ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and a firm in a fresh N64 million money laundering case.
The accused—Lawal Adebisi, Umar Waziri, and Yusuf Inuwa—are scheduled to face trial soon.
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