Alleged employment scam: Court sends NSCDC official, Olagunju to prison

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mrs. Tosin Comfort Olagunju be remanded in Suleja prison (Niger State) pending the hearing of her bail application scheduled for October 9.

Justice Binta Nyako issued the order for Mrs. Olagunju’s remand in prison on Wednesday after she was arraigned on a four-count charge, in which she was accused among others, of obtaining N12,400,000.00 from job seekers under false pretence, with the promise that she has the capacity to secure them employment in the NSCDC.

Mrs. Olagunju, said to reside in Karu Site, Abuja, pleaded not guilty when the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/183/2024, filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), was read to her.

Shortly after the defendant’s plea, prosecuting lawyer, Princewill Eke applied for a date for the commencement of trial.

Defence lawyer, M. A. Oloniruka told the court that he just filed a bail application shortly before the court commenced sitting.

Upon being told by the judge that the application was not in the court’s file and therefore was not ripe for hearing, Oloniruka sought to apply orally for his client’s bail.

Justice Nyako equally rejected the defence lawyer,s request to be allowed to apply orally for bail, noting that the court being a court of record, all applicationa must be formal and in writing.

“This matter is adjourned till October 9 for trial. The defendant should be remanded in Suleja correctional centre,” Justice Nyako said.

Mrs. Olagunju was, in count one of the charge, said to have, sometime between the 2010 to 2023, obtained by false pretense and with intent to defraud Nigerians, including Billi Haruna Bwala, the sum of N12,400,000.00 in the presence that she has the capacity of securing them employment with the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps and thereby defrauding them of N12, 400,000.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(1)(c) of the Advance Free Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

Count two reads: “That you Olagunju Comfort (f) of Karu Site, Abuja,  sometime between the your 2020 to 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire with others to commit an office to wit: criminal conspiracy thereby commit an offense punishable under Section 97(1) of the Panel Code Act, 2004.”

In count three, she was alleged to have, between the year 2020 2023, “being in any manner entrusted with services of securing employment with Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for Nigerians and dishonestly convert the sum of N12, 400,000.00 to your own use in violation of the direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged and thereby commit an offense  contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Act 2004.”

Count four reads: “That you Olagunju Comfort (f) of Karu Site, Abuja sometime between the year 2010 and 2023 fraudulently and dishonestly induced some Nigerians to part with the sum of N12,400,000.00 am dtyereby cheating them of the said sum and causing damage to them and thereby commit an offense contrary to section 320 and punishable under section 322 of the Penal Code Act 2004.”