By Nkechi Eze
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has secured the conviction of the Managing Director of Alliance Boots Limited, Mr. Henry Iloka, over forgery and false declaration offences linked to a consultancy contract awarded under the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).
According to an official signed statement by Head, Media and Public Communications, ICPC, J. Okor Odey, the conviction was delivered by Justice U.P. Kekemeke of Court 4, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja.
The Commission disclosed that Alliance Boots Limited had secured a consultancy contract for HYPREP Media and Public Relations in Ogoniland from the Federal Ministry of Environment valued at N182,721,000.
Investigations by the ICPC revealed that the defendant attached forged documents to the company’s bid submissions in a bid to falsely portray that the firm had previously executed contracts for the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The Commission also accused the defendant of making false statements to investigators during the course of the investigation.
One of the charges before the court stated that on November 13, 2019, Mr. Iloka knowingly made false statements to an officer of the Commission by claiming that the pre-qualification documents submitted by Alliance Boots Limited to the Federal Ministry of Environment were genuine, despite allegedly knowing that a purported Letter of Award of Contract for Consultancy Services on Media Intelligence Project said to have been issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria was false.
Another count established 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,” dated August 28, 2013, purportedly issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission, and submitted it as part of the requirements for the award of the HYPREP consultancy contract.
Following the presentation of witnesses and documentary evidence by the prosecution, the court found the defendant guilty on all four counts.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently sentenced Mr. Iloka to pay a fine 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 a fine of N500,000 each on counts three and four for forgery contrary to Section 363 of the Penal Code Act, ordering that all fines be paid cumulatively.
The ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability and integrity in public procurement processes, warning contractors against the submission of forged documents or false representations in bids for government contracts.
