Abuja – A retired director from the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for diverting over ₦318 million in public funds.
Garuba Duku, who served as Director of Finance and Administration under the Federal Capital Territory Administration, was found guilty by a Federal High Court in Abuja on multiple charges of corruption and money laundering.
The court ruling comes after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) presented evidence showing that Duku transferred the funds to his personal account at Fidelity Bank between 2012 and 2013.
The money, received in several instalments, was later moved to Bureau de Change operators for unauthorized use, violating government financial regulations.During the trial, Duku claimed that the money had been handed over to his superiors, but the court dismissed this defence due to lack of proof.
The judge concluded that the prosecution had presented credible and consistent evidence proving Duku’s involvement in the offences beyond reasonable doubt.
For each of the six counts, the court sentenced Duku to four years in prison or an option to pay a fine equivalent to five times the amount involved, totaling approximately ₦1.6 billion, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The ICPC’s Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare, said the conviction reinforces the commission’s commitment to holding public officers accountable.
The commission has vowed to continue pursuing corruption cases rigorously to protect public resources.This case follows previous high-profile convictions by the ICPC, including a 2024 sentencing of a NSCDC officer and a 2019 conviction of former ICPC board nominee Dr. Saad Alanamu and businessman Salman Sulaiman, both sentenced to 24 years in prison for bribery-related offences.
Duku remains in custody as the commission continues to monitor enforcement and recover misappropriated funds.