A ormer staff member of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Olayiwola Oguntade, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of fine for fraud.
Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan delivered the judgment on January 28, 2025.
Oguntade was arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 13, 2020, on a three-count amended charge of forgery, advance fee fraud, and obtaining by false pretence amounting to N10 million.
This was contained in a statement on wednesday.
Count one stated: “That you, Olayiwola Oguntade sometimes in 2010 at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) only, by false pretence through Kola Al-Amin from Polybadan Microfinance Bank Ltd and thereby committed an offence of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1 (i)(b) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The second count accused Oguntade of forging a Local Purchase Order (LPO) titled “Re: Supply of Internet Services,” purportedly issued by JAMB on October 15, 2010.
This act was deemed a violation of Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, leading to a trial that lasted over four years. Prosecution counsel Oyelakin Oyediran and Lanre Suleiman called 10 witnesses and tendered several incriminating documents that were admitted as evidence.
In his ruling, Justice Taiwo stated: “The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and the court is convinced that the defendant is guilty of the offences filed against him by the EFCC.”
Oguntade, who worked in JAMB’s Finance and Accounts Department, forged the LPO and a Letter of Domiciliation to fraudulently secure a N10 million loan from Polybadan Microfinance Bank, under the false claim of executing a JAMB-awarded internet services contract.
To facilitate the fraud, he enlisted a friend, K. Ola Al-Amin, a customer of the microfinance bank, to present the forged documents on his behalf.
Al-Amin, believing the documents to be genuine, secured the loan, which was later transferred to three companies: Reeden Investment Limited, Danmarg Multiventures Company, and Enrich System Nigeria Limited.
Investigations revealed that Oguntade had previously issued forged LPOs to these companies and used the fraudulently obtained N10 million to settle existing debts.
He was convicted and sent to the Nigerian Correctional Centre to serve his sentence.