By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
Benin City — In a move reinforcing its zero-tolerance stance on corruption, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Mr. Ewere Morgan Eseosa, a civil servant who illegally received double salaries from two separate government institutions.
According to a detailed investigation by the anti-corruption body, Mr. Eseosa was concurrently drawing monthly salaries from the University of Benin—his original place of employment—and the Ikpoba Okha Local Government Council, where he later took up another full-time role without disclosing his existing government appointment.
The ICPC’s findings revealed that between September 2018 and February 2021, Mr. Eseosa fraudulently received a total of ₦1,328,255.47 in unearned wages. He was subsequently arraigned before the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, under Charge No. B/CD/ICPC/2C/2024. The charges included obtaining by false pretense and cheating, in violation of Sections 419 and 421 of the Criminal Code Act 2004.
One of the charges read:
“That you, Mr. Ewere Morgan Eseosa (M), between September 2018 to February 2021 or thereabout in Benin City within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretense and with intent to defraud, obtained employment at Ikpoba Okhia Local Government Council Edo State as a special assistant (Press Secretary) without disclosing that he was at a material time working at the University of Benin, as a Security Officer 11 (step 2 of CONTISS 07) on full time and mislead Ikpoba Okhia Local Government Council Edo State into giving him employment and thereby obtained double emolument…”
Upon entering into a plea bargain with the prosecution led by ICPC’s Dennis Nnaemeka Okoro, the original two-count charge was amended to one, to which the defendant pleaded guilty. As part of the agreement, he was spared a custodial sentence but sentenced to one-year imprisonment with an option of a ₦150,000 fine.
Honourable Justice Williams Aziegbemhin further directed Mr. Eseosa to fully refund the illicitly obtained ₦1.3 million to the Federal Government through the ICPC Recovery Account.
The Commission hailed the ruling as a clear message that unethical practices in public service will not go unpunished. “This conviction underscores ICPC’s unwavering commitment to promoting integrity in public service and ensuring accountability among public officials,” the Commission noted.
Newspot Nigeria continues to monitor developments in the fight against corruption across the country.
FULL PRESS STATEMENT
INDEPENDENT CORRUPT PRACTICES AND OTHER RELATED OFFENCES COMMISSION (ICPC)
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday 07th August 2025
ICPC Secures Conviction of Edo’s Civil Servant over Double Salary Fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a civil servant, Mr. Ewere Morgan Eseosa, for receiving double salaries in gross violation of anti-corruption laws.
Following a detailed investigation, the Commission uncovered that Mr. Eseosa had been simultaneously drawing salaries from two separate government entities: the University of Benin, where he was originally employed, and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Council, where he subsequently got another employment.
This act, which contravenes the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, resulted in the illegal accumulation of ₦1,328,255.47 (One Million, Three Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand, Two-Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira, Forty-Seven Kobo) in unearned payments.
Upon concluding its investigation, the ICPC, through its Prosecutor, Dennis Nnaemeka Okoro, charged Mr. Eseosa with two counts of obtaining by false pretense and cheating under Sections 419 and 421 of the Criminal Code Act 2004.
The case was filed before the Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin, under Charge No. B/CD/ICPC/2C/2024, following the necessary administrative approvals for prosecution.
One of the counts read:
“That you, Mr. Ewere Morgan Eseosa (M), between September 2018 to February 2021 or thereabout in Benin City within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretense and with intent to defraud, obtained employment at Ikpoba Okhia Local Government Council Edo State as a special assistant (Press Secretary) without disclosing that he was at a material time working at the University of Benin, as a Security Officer 11 (step 2 of CONTISS 07) on full time and mislead Ikpoba Okhia Local Government Council Edo State into giving him employment and thereby obtained double emolument September 2018 to February 2021”.
Subsequently, the defendant entered into a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution. Under this arrangement, the initial two-count charge was amended to one, to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
The agreement allowed him to avoid a custodial sentence under the condition that he fulfill specified terms.
In line with the plea deal, Mr. Eseosa was sentenced to one-year imprisonment or a fine of ₦150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only).
The trial judge, Honourable Justice Williams Aziegbemhin, also ordered the convict to refund to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the ICPC Recovery Account, the sum of ₦1,328,255.47 (One Million, Three-Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand, Two-Hundred and Fifty Naira, and Forty-Seven Kobo), which was fraudulently received as salaries.
This conviction underscores ICPC’s unwavering commitment to promoting integrity in public service and ensuring accountability among public officials.
Signed
Demola Bakare, fsi
Director, Public Enlightenment and Education /
Spokesperson for the Commission
