Court Denies Bail for Fake Unilorin Teaching Hospital CMD in Employment Scam

Cursory: Chidiebere Cyril Ndigwe, suspected of impersonating the Chief Medical Director of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, had his bail plea denied by a Kwara State High Court. He faces charges related to an employment scam and fraudulent activities targeting job seekers. Despite pleading not guilty, his bail request was opposed due to concerns about his residency and the complexities of his arrest.

The bail application of Chidiebere Cyril Ndigwe, a suspected impostor posing as the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, was declined by a Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. Ndigwe faces trial for his alleged involvement in an employment scam and fraudulent activities.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought Ndigwe to court on two charges, accusing him of defrauding job seekers by falsely representing himself as the CMD of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

Additionally, it was claimed that Ndigwe, along with accomplices who remain at large, promoted job vacancies on Facebook.

Job applicants with university degrees were required to pay N400,000, while those with National Diplomas were charged N200,000 for the available job positions. It is claimed that the defendant collected approximately N18 million from job seekers before it was revealed that the job offers were fraudulent.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you Chidiebere Cyril Ndigwe and others still at large, between 11th April 2023 and 25th April 2023, at Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Six Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira from Mrs Rukayat Joke Yusuf through Nkechi Nkwegu Onwoshi United Bank of Africa Account Number 2298797088 under the false pretence that the money was for the cost of jobs for graduates, Ordinary National Diploma, and National Certificate of Education holders, a pretense which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under section 1 (3) of the same Act.”

However, Niger pleaded not guilty to the charge.Based on his plea, prosecuting counsel, Mustapha Kaigama, filed a 32-paragraph affidavit to oppose his bail application.The prosecutor told the court that the defendant did not have a verifiable address to warrant his bail, adding that it took the ICPC 23 days to mount surveillance for his arrest in Ebonyi State.

Despite the arguments presented by the prosecution, the defense counsel, C.I. Chime, requested the court to grant bail to his client. However, Justice Adenike Akinpelu, the presiding judge, ruled that the defendant did not furnish sufficient evidence to convince the court to grant him bail. The judge adjourned the case to a future date, which will be communicated to all parties involved.

Credits: ALLSCHOOL, dailypost

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