By Nkechi Eze
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Mr. Olaniran Satiregun, the founder and rector of International College of Administration Science and Technology, Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State, for offering unapproved academic programmes and defrauding unsuspecting students.
In a statement issued by the Commission’s spokesperson, Demola Bakare, the ICPC disclosed that Mr. Satiregun and his institution were found guilty by the Federal High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State, after being arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, in violation of Section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.
The Commission’s legal team, led by Mr. Adesina Raheem, told the court how the accused deceived students into paying for courses such as Nursing, Public Health, and Computer Science programmes which the college was not accredited to offer. Investigations revealed that the institution only had approval from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to run four specified courses, and not the professional or degree-awarding programmes it advertised between 2019 and 2021.
One of the charges read in court stated:
“That you, International Professional College of Administration Science and Technology Nigeria Ltd and Satiregun Olaniran (M) between 2019 and 2021 in Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, did obtain for yourselves the sum of N110,000 (One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) from Onmonya Daniel Ogah as school fees and cost of admission letter for being admitted to study a three-year professional programme in Public Health/Nursing Science and (BSc) degree conversion with recognized international university… whereas the institution did not have the necessary approval to run such programmes or award degrees.”
Delivering judgment on the matter, Honourable Justice Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa found both the college and Mr. Satiregun guilty of all the charges. The court sentenced Mr. Satiregun to seven years in prison without the option of a fine.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered that all school fees and other monies collected from the victims be refunded. Justice Onoja-Alapa also ruled that the institution must henceforth restrict itself strictly to the four courses approved by the NBTE.
The ICPC hailed the judgment as a milestone in its ongoing efforts to clamp down on fraudulent academic institutions and protect students and their families from educational scams.
