Civil servants are arraigned for suspected manipulation of FG’s salary software

The Independent Corruption and Other Related Crime Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Mrs. Moses Oluwafunmilayo Esther for allegedly forged her posting and illegally manipulating the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to obtain salary during the moratorium.

Mrs. Esther was filed by the Supreme Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in three counts filed by the ICPC on Monday, May 12.

According to the committee, the defendant allegedly forged a letter issued on January 20, 1998 and mentioned HCSF/CMO/EMD/AOD/AOD/013/1/30, which was allegedly issued by the Federal Civil Service Office.

The ICPC investigation further revealed that Mrs. Esther submitted a post as Chief Executive Officer for the Federal Department of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.

Verification by the Federal Civil Service Commission confirmed that there is no such record in its database.

In addition, the defendant reportedly failed to fulfill the invitation of the committee formed by the Service Supervisor to investigate the so-called fake posts. This failure caused her salary to be suspended in November 2021 until the findings.

However, it was later discovered that Mrs. Esther, who served as a role player on the IPPIS platform, illegally restored her salary in January 2022 without the approval of the Federal Director of Public Affairs.

Count One of the charge read: “That you, Oluwafunmilayo Esther (F), on or about 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with intent to commit fraud, did forge a document to wit: a posting letter dated 17th June 2021, with Reference No. HCSF/CMO/EMD/002/S.12/T.4.110, purportedly emanating from the Office of the Office of the Federal Civil Service, Moses Oluwafunmilayo Esther and six (6) others; therefore, under Article 364 of the Criminal Law, you have committed a crime of violation and punishment.

When the charge is read, the defendant “pleads not guilty.”
Her lawyer, Mr. Chima Okason, prays that the court will approve her bail on a free clause.
Mrs. Olubunmi Ayo, the lawyer for ICPC, did not object to the application.

Honorary Judge Halilu granted bail under the following conditions: The defendant must establish two credible bonds, each of which must be a director of the federal civil servant, currently serving in any part within the FCT.

The guarantor must provide evidence of its first and latest promotion, which will be verified by the court’s registered officer.

They must also provide a written commitment that if the defendant is bailed for high jump, they will be held in her position.

The presiding judge then withdraws the proceedings until the trial begins on July 8, 2025.