Former Nigerian Health Ministry official sentenced to seven years for fraud

Williams Oluwole, a former Principal Stock Verifier at the Federal Ministry of Health, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a ₦29.9 million fraud. The conviction was handed down by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

The court found that in May 2015, Oluwole issued a false stock verification certificate in favor of Mubaraq Pharmacy Limited. This certificate falsely confirmed the delivery of 5,113 Ribavirin injections and 5,681 Globavirin tablets that had not yet arrived in Nigeria. The fraudulent document facilitated a payment of ₦29,996,120 to the company for products that had not been supplied.

Oluwole was prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on charges of knowingly furnishing false statements in the discharge of his official duties.