ICPC Secures Conviction Over Forged N182.7m HYPREP Contract Documents

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of the Managing Director of Alliance Boots Limited, Henry Iloka, over forgery and false declaration linked to a contract under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

Justice U.P. Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, delivered the judgment, finding the defendant guilty on all four counts filed against him by the anti-graft agency.

The conviction followed allegations that Iloka submitted forged documents to secure a consultancy contract awarded by the Federal Ministry of Environment for media and public relations services under HYPREP in Ogoniland.

The contract was valued at N182.7 million.

According to the ICPC, the defendant attached fake documents to the company’s bid submissions in a bid to create the impression that Alliance Boots Limited had previously executed contracts for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The commission also accused him of making false statements during investigations.

One of the charges stated that Iloka knowingly misled investigators on November 13, 2019, by claiming that documents submitted as part of the company’s expression of interest were authentic.

Investigators, however, established that a purported CBN contract award letter for consultancy services on a media intelligence project was false.

Another count revealed that the defendant forged a document titled *“Letter of Award of Contract for Production and Transmission of NCC Weekly Telecom Today Programme, Lot A4/5,”* allegedly issued by the NCC on August 28, 2013.

The forged document was said to have been submitted to the Federal Ministry of Environment as part of requirements for the HYPREP consultancy contract bid.

Following the presentation of witnesses and documentary evidence by the prosecution, the court convicted Iloka on all charges.

Justice Kekemeke subsequently imposed a fine of N100,000 each on counts one and two relating to false statements made to investigators, contrary to provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The court also fined the defendant N500,000 each on counts three and four bordering on forgery under Section 363 of the Penal Code Act.

The judge ordered that all fines be paid cumulatively.

Reacting to the judgment, the commission reiterated its resolve to strengthen transparency and accountability in government procurement processes.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the Head of Media and Public Communications, ICPC, Okor Odey, the commission warned contractors against the use of forged documents or false claims in bids for public contracts.

The anti-corruption agency stressed that offenders would continue to face prosecution in line with the law.

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