ICPC arraigns scholarship board director over visa fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has arraigned a deputy director with the Sokoto State Scholarship Board, Mohammad Yusuf, before the state high court sitting in Sokoto for allegedly issuing forged scholarship sponsorship letters to three students.

The students used the letters to gain entry visas to the United Kingdom.

A statement by the spokesperson for the ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

She said Yusuf, who is the deputy director in charge of International Student Matters at the SSSB, made false statement to an officer of the British High Commission through the misleading documents.

She said, “Yusuf was brought before Justice Muhammad Muhammad of Sokoto State High Court on three counts of allegedly signing and issuing forged scholarship sponsorship letters to three students who used same to gain entry visas to the United Kingdom from the British High Commission in Abuja.

“The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

“ICPC’s prosecution counsel, Mashkur Salisu, told the court that the accused person, who is serving as the Deputy Director in charge of International Student Matters of the SSSB, knowingly made a false statement to an officer of the British High Commission through the misleading documents. The offence also contravenes Section 25(1) (b) and is punishable under Section 25(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The charge sheet read partly, “That you Muhammad Buhari Yusuf, on or about the month of September, 2018 or thereabouts in Sokoto within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to cause damage to the public, forged a scholarship sponsorship letter of Sokoto State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 348 and punishable under Section 349 of the Sokoto Penal Code of Law, 2019.”

The commission added that Yusuf pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him while his counsel, Nuhu Aminu and Faruk Abdullahi, prayed the court to grant bail to their client on liberal terms.

“Counsel for the ICPC, while not objecting to the bail application, however, urged the court to grant the bail with reasonable sureties that would ensure the accused person would not jump bail.

“Justice Muhammad thereafter granted the accused person bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety who must own a property and on Grade Level 15 in the Sokoto State Civil Service.

“The judge adjourned the matter till March 12, 2020 for commencement of hearing,” the statement added.