A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has scheduled the commencement of a trial for alleged forgery and abuse of office against Mrs Aishatu Abdullahi, a Director of Administration and Supplies at the National Boundary Commission, and Mrs Ghaji Rahila, an Assistant Chief Accountant at the same agency, for March 17, 2025.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned the two defendants before Justice Yusuf Halilu on a five-count charge.
The ICPC accuses the defendants of conspiring to allow the first defendant, Ghaji Rahila, to participate in a senior promotion exercise and to confirm her promotion to the rank of Chief Accountant (Level 14) at the National Boundary Commission, all while she was simultaneously employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited.
Additionally, Ghaji Rahila is accused of forging an admission letter from Carnegie Mellon University, Rwanda, purportedly addressed to her husband, Suleiman Mishara, to support her application for a leave of absence from the National Boundary Commission.
Count 3 of the charge states: “That you, Ghaji Rahila (F) and Aishatu Abdullahi (F), sometime in 2021 or thereabouts in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, as Assistant Chief Accountant and Director of Administration and Supplies of the National Boundary Commission, respectively, conspired to commit an offence by conferring an unfair advantage by allowing Ghaji Rahila to participate in the senior staff promotion exercise at the National Boundary Commission while she was concurrently employed by Galaxy Backbone Limited; thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
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Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
The ICPC counsel, Fatimah Abdullahi Bardi, requested that the court set a date for the trial based on the defendants’ not-guilty pleas.
The counsels for the defendants, Akinyemi Aremu and Adebayo Eniwaye, respectively, moved for bail on their client’s behalf.
With no opposition from the prosecution regarding the bail application and considering the grounds presented, the presiding judge granted bail to both defendants.
The conditions include that each defendant must provide two sureties who are residents of Abuja and civil servants holding the rank of director in any federal agency, along with evidence of their first employment and last promotion.
The trial judge emphasized that the sureties must sign letters of undertaking to ensure the defendants appear in court throughout their trial and agree to be detained if they fail to produce the defendants.
Moreover, the defendants are required to deposit their travel documents with the court registrar. If they do not meet these conditions, they will be remanded in Suleja Prison until the next adjourned date.
