A man, Martins Ugwu, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for impersonating and using the certificate of his ‘best friend’ to secure a job at the Federal Ministry of Health.

Ugwu, who was prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was sentenced to prison by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in the Jabi area of Abuja on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

The ICPC had, in February 2016, filed a seven-count charge before Justice Abubakar Kutigi against Ugwu for making a false statement to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, through which he secured employment in the Federal Ministry of Health in 2006.

The ICPC said the offence contravened Section 25 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the same act.

The convict, according to the ICPC, also drew salaries and allowances up to N17.2 million between 2006 and 2016, after working for about ten years as a medical doctor at the Federal Ministry of Health with fake documents.

The commission told the court that Ugwu also used the fake documents to procure a staff identity card bearing the name of Dr George Daniel Davidson, apply for annual leave as well as a postgraduate training programme which would have conferred on him, a master’s degree in Epidemiology Practice.

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However, the ICPC counsel, Dr Osuobeni Akponimisingha, while citing Section 319 and 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) on Tuesday, urged the court to order the restitution of all money the culprit earned while he was parading himself as Dr David George with a stolen certificate.

Delivering judgement, Justice Kutigi stated that the issue of quack doctors has taken a new dimension, saying the sentencing of Ugwu would serve as a deterrent to others who might want to venture into the practice without necessary certifications.

Justice Kutigi therefore sentenced the fake doctor to a jail term of six months (consecutively) on each of the seven counts preferred against him by the ICPC.

Justice Kutigi also ordered the restitution of the salaries and allowances paid to the convict while under the employment of the Federal Ministry of Health.

He added that an additional one-year jail term should be served in case the convict failed to meet up with the restitution order.

The Star