ICPC secures conviction of MD ,Alliance company over N182 million contract scam
Kola Oyelere Kano
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured the conviction of the Managing Director of Alliance Boots Limited, Henry Iloka, over forgery and false statements linked to a N182.7 million contract under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
Justice U.P. Kekemeke of Court 4, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, delivered the judgment on Thursday, convicting Iloka on four counts bordering on forgery and making false statements to investigators.
According to the commission, Alliance Boots Limited had been awarded a consultancy contract by the Federal Ministry of Environment for HYPREP media and public relations services in Ogoniland valued at N182,721,000.
The ICPC said the defendant attached forged documents to his bid submissions to falsely claim that his company had previously executed contracts for the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The anti-graft agency further stated that Iloka made false statements during investigations, including claims that the pre-qualification documents submitted by Alliance Boots Limited to the Federal Ministry of Environment were genuine.
The ICPC, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, J. Okor Odey, reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and integrity in public procurement processes, warning contractors against the use of forged documents and false representations in bids for government contracts
One of the charges revealed that on November 13, 2019, the defendant allegedly told investigators that a purported letter of award for consultancy services on a media intelligence project issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria was authentic, despite allegedly knowing it was false.
Another count stated that Iloka forged a document titled “Letter of Award of Contract for Production and Transmission of NCC Weekly Telecom Today Programme, Lot A4/5,” dated August 28, 2013, purportedly issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission, and submitted it as part of the requirements for the HYPREP consultancy contract.
Following the presentation of evidence and witnesses by the prosecution, the court found the defendant guilty on all four counts.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently sentenced Iloka to fines of N100,000 each on counts one and two for making false statements contrary to Section 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The court also imposed fines of N500,000 each on counts three and four for forgery contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, ordering that the fines be paid cumulatively.
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