ICPC Arraigns Firm, Businessman for Forging Tax Clearance Certificate

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arraigned the Managing Director (MD) of an investment company and his company before Honourable Justice A.S. Adepoju of High Court 30 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Wuse for alleged forgery, making false statement and submission of fake documents in a bid to secure a contract from the Federal Government.

The accused person, Engineer Olayiwola Ayeni, who is the owner of Joma Investment Limited was alleged to have submitted forged tax clearance certificates for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 with false figures which according to him were purportedly issued by the Federal Inland Revenues Service (FIRS), to scale a prequalification bid.
As part of the bidding process for a contract to be awarded, all bidding companies must indicate their turnover figures for previous years as evidence that they have the capability to carry out such a contract. In the light of this, Engineer Ayeni, jacked up the turnover figures of his company because it did not meet the threshold.

The defendant and the company were therefore charged on 3 counts for submitting false documents to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.

Their actions were contrary to and punishable under sections 17 and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against them and were granted bail in the sum of N5 million with a surety in like sum who must be an officer not below Grade Level 15 in the Federal Civil Service.