The Police in Enugu State have dragged a hospital staff, Mrs. Stella Achara to an Enugu High Court over alleged employment scam to the tune of N14 million.
Achara, the personal secretary to the Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Jojo Onwukwe is facing charges of Advanced Fee Fraud.
She was earlier docked before a magistrate court sitting in Enugu East for a related offence, from where she was remanded in Enugu prison.
The case was later withdrawn from the lower court for lack of jurisdiction. However, the Police have now filed fresh charge against the suspect at the Enugu High Court.
In the charge, No. E/197C/2017, signed by Mr. Damian Njoku-Umeh, the officer-in-charge, legal prosecution, Enugu State Police command, she was accused of defrauding job seekers to the tune of N14m.
According to the police, “Stella Achara in or about the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 at Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu in the Enugu Judicial Division did by force pretences and with intent to defraud, obtain from one Nwatarah Hope “f”, Stella Egotanwa “f”, Ogbe Onyinye “f”, Nwufo Ifeoma “f” Aforka Clementina “f”, Ikemefuna Ebonyi “m”, Stella Onyeji “f” Mbah Loveth Ifeoma “f”, Okoh Perpetua “f”, Uche Onyia “f”, Egbo Nonye, Igbokwe Patricia “f” and Nwaizugbe Chioma “f” the total sum of N14 million (fourteen million naira), by falsely pretending that you have power to procure employment for them and what you will employ them as staff of federal neuropsychiatric hospital, New Haven, Enugu, which presentation you knew to be false.”
Her conduct is said to have amounted to “obtaining property by false pretenses contrary to section 1 (1) (a) and punishable under section 1 (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud related offences act, No 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2006.”
Achara’s ordeal started following multiple reports against her at both the Enugu Area Command and the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police by over 50 job seekers, who claimed that they paid money to her for a job that never came.
Consequently, the police launched investigation, during which they claimed several signed and unsigned appointment letters were recovered from the suspect’s home.
Among the job seekers, who have been enlisted as prosecution witnesses are: Nwatarah Hope, Nwufor Ifeaoma, Ikemefuna Abonyi, Stella Onyeji, Mbah Loveth, Okoh Perpetua, Uche Onyia, Egbe Nonye, who claimed to have paid the suspect N185,000, N450,000, N600,000, N450,000, N350,000, N250,000, N350,000 and N350,000, respectively.
Her earlier arraignment had generated further crisis in the hospital with the management reportedly expressing feelings that some workers instigated the alleged victims.
The development culminated into the federal ministry of health sending a probe panel. Among other recommendations, the panel asked that Achara be suspended pending conclusion of her trial. The management is yet to implement the recommendation.
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