A former Director of Finance and Administration with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Garuba Mohammed Duku, has been sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for money laundering.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, convicted Duku on six counts of money laundering brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Omotosho held that the prosecution successfully proved its case through witnesses’ testimonies and documentary evidence. He subsequently sentenced Duku to four years on each of the six counts.
However, following a plea for leniency from the convict, who is a first-time offender, the court ordered that the sentences would run concurrently. This means Duku will serve a total of four years in prison, beginning from October 3, 2025.
In addition, Justice Omotosho gave Duku the option of paying a fine of ₦1.6 billion to the Federal Government in lieu of imprisonment, a condition that could spare him from serving time behind bars.
The ICPC had accused Duku, who served as Director of Finance and Administration under the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), of unlawfully taking possession of ₦318 million belonging to his employer. The court dismissed his defense and found him guilty under Section 18(2) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act.
Justice Omotosho further directed that, should the convict fail to pay the fine, he would serve his term at the Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja.