N319m fraud: Court denies ex-FCTA director bail, orders accelerated hearing

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has rejected a bail application filed by Garba Dukku, a former Director of Finance and Administration at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Dukku was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for diverting approximately N319 million in public funds.

Dukku had sought bail pending the determination of his appeal against the Federal High Court's judgment. However, the appellate court ruled that he failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances warranting bail during the appeal process. Despite denying bail, the court mandated an accelerated hearing for the substantive appeal to ensure its swift resolution.

The Federal High Court had convicted Dukku on six counts of corruption and money laundering. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which prosecuted the case, proved that between 2012 and 2013, Dukku diverted N318.25 million of council funds into his personal bank account through multiple transactions. These funds were subsequently transferred to Bureau de Change operators for unauthorized purposes.

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The ICPC welcomes the decision of the Court of Appeal refusing bail pending appeal and views it as a reaffirmation of the principle that applications for such relief must be supported by exceptional and compelling circumstances.

Dukku's defense, which claimed the money was handed over to his superiors, was dismissed by the trial court. Justice James Omotosho found no credible evidence to support this assertion and concluded that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, Dukku received a four-year sentence for each of the six counts, totaling 24 years.

The court also imposed a fine equivalent to five times the amount involved in each count, bringing the total potential fine to approximately N1.6 billion. The ICPC welcomed the Court of Appeal's decision, viewing it as a reinforcement of the principle that bail pending appeal requires exceptional and compelling circumstances. The commission reiterated its commitment to prosecuting corruption cases and safeguarding public resources.

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The Commission remains resolute in its commitment to the diligent prosecution of corruption cases and the protection of public resources from abuse and misappropriation.