The trial of a lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic Offa, Mr. Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, will commence on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, ROYAL NEWS has learnt.

The case was instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) the Ilorin Zonal Office against the lecturer over alleged employment scam.

EFCC, had in November 2019 slammed a nine count charge  against the embattled Lecturer for allegedly defrauding some job seekers under the guise of helping them to secure employment at the institution.

Count three of the charge reads, The charges read in part, “That you, Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between June and July 2018 in Offa, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N600,000from one Amubieya Raphael Oluwafemi by false pretences that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Amubieya Raphael Oluwafemi and his wife, Amubieya Remi Janet, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006.

Count nine reads That you,  Mustapha Ilyas Abdulwasiu, between December 2018 and February 2019 in Offa within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N550,000 from one Mustapha Kabir by false pretences that you were in charge of employment at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, and you obtained the money for the purpose of securing employment for the said Mustapha Kabir and his wife, Ganiyatu Jimoh, a representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 , 2006.”

The defendant at the last adjourned date approached the EFCC for plea bargain after evaluating the prove of evidence and the unchallenged findings of the anti graft body.

At the resumed hearing of the matter,  prosecuting Counsel,  A.A Adebayo told court , My Lord,  though, the defendant had approached us for a plea bargain agreement,  but with the directive, we could not go on with such agreement, as a result of that, we want to proceed with full trial.

Counsel to the defendant,  M.O Balogun however did not object to the application. The Court thereafter adjourned till 12th of February 2020 for commencement of trial