Fake soldier docked for swindling job seekers of N1mn

The man promised jobs in the military to his victims.

An alleged fake army officer, Ochochi Inalegun, on Friday appeared before a Karu Chief Magistrates’ Court in the Abuja, charged with defrauding nine military job seekers of N998,000.

Mr. Inalegun, 33, who pleaded not guilty, was arraigned on a five-count charge of impersonation and unlawful possession of fake documents.

He was accused of cheating his victims in March 2012 while posing as an army officer able to get hem jobs in the Nigerian Army and Civil Defence Corps.

The public prosecutor, Bulus Samuel, told the court that the accused had paraded himself in full army camouflage and swindled the “desperate job seekers” before his arrest.

Mr. Samuel alleged that after the victims had waited for months without getting their appointment letters as agreed, they reported the case at the police station. He said that the accused was arrested and 77 copies of certificates belonging to other victims were found in his house following a search. 50 passport photographs belonging to his victims and N60, 000 were also recovered from the accused person.

Mr. Samuel said that during interrogation, Mr. Inalegun confessed to the alleged crime.

“The accused confessed that he was doing the business with a naval commander, whom he identified, as Osita Young. He told police interrogators that he gave Osita and one Jonah, a lieutenant, the sums of N280,000 and N180,000, respectively to start the job process before he was caught,” the prosecutor said.

The offences contravened Sections 97, 312, 322 and 132 of the Penal Code and if convicted the accused person would serve 13 years in prison with an option of fine or both.

The Chief Magistrate, Hadiza Dodo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million and a reliable surety who must be a federal civil servant not below grade level 12. Ms. Dodo ruled that the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and his addresses verified by the prosecutor. She adjourned the case to September 18 for hearing.