ICPC re-arraigns Senator for alleged N200m fraud

The Independent Corrupt and other related offences Commission on Tuesday re-arraigned ex-Senator David Iornem before an Abuja Federal High Court for allegedly duping some unsuspecting Nigerians of over N200m through foreign universities admission racket.

Iornem was arraigned before Justice Ahmed Mohammed on a 14-count criminal charge bordering on extortion and money laundering.

Counsel for ICPC, Mr. Ebenezer Shogunle, told the court that Iornem ran two private foreign universities and duped some unsuspecting Nigerians through fraudulent admission offers.

Joined as first and second accused in the suit were the two universities: Island Open University and Commonwealth University of Belize.

Iornem was said to have conspired with one Bruce Duncan and others at large to commit the said crime.

They were alleged to have published advertisements in which they offered fraudulent admissions to some Nigerians.

The first accused was said to have acted as Consultant and Academic Adviser to the institutions.

The prosecutor said the universities were not accredited or authorised to operate in Belize.

“Iornem attempted to dupe the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, of $11,550 for the award of a doctorate degree in 2012,” the prosecutor said.

He was also accused of fraudulently obtaining $5,000 from one Albert Oluwatoyin on the pretext that he had been offered university admission to pursue a doctoral degree in Philosophy.

He was said to have also collected $6,800 from one Chief Victor Effiom for the same purpose.