ICPC Secures Conviction for Ex-Lawmaker Over N68.7m Contracts
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Onamusi Onadeko, over an offence arising from his activities as a senior legislative aide.
Onadeko, who represented Ogun East Federal Constituency between 1999 and 2003, was prosecuted by the ICPC over his alleged involvement in the award and execution of constituency projects valued at N68.7 million.
The former lawmaker was arraigned in 2017 on an amended 11-count charge following allegations that he used two private companies—Stanton Engineering Limited and Haines and Baines Limited—to execute constituency projects while serving as Senior Legislative Aide to the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, who represented Ogun East Senatorial District from 2015 to 2019.
According to the ICPC, the contracts awarded to the companies included the procurement of ambulances, supply of hospital equipment and drugs to primary healthcare centres, and construction of classrooms in selected schools across six communities in Ogun East Senatorial District.
The commission alleged that Onadeko was a Managing Director of Stanton Engineering Limited and a nominal director of Haines and Baines Limited, thereby allegedly contravening Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The ICPC also accused him of making contradictory statements concerning his status in Haines and Baines Limited.
The commission said Onadeko had stated in an affidavit sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths on June 30, 2016, that he was a director of the company, but subsequently told investigators on May 5, 2017, that he was neither a shareholder nor a director.
The prosecution argued that the alleged contradictory statement violated Section 25(1)(b) of the ICPC Act.
Read Also:
During the trial, however, Onadeko, through his counsel, Wahab Olatoyebi, argued that he was not a public officer at the time of the alleged offences.
The defence contended that his appointment as a legislative aide was short-term and non-pensionable and, therefore, did not place him within the category of public officers liable to prosecution under Sections 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act.
In a judgment delivered on July 30, 2026, Justice Chizoba Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory rejected the defence’s argument.
Relying on Onadeko’s letter of appointment and the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Federal Government of Nigeria v. Farouk Lawan, the court held that legislative aides are public officers and can therefore be prosecuted under the relevant provisions of the ICPC Act.
The court found Onadeko guilty on Count 11, relating to the making of inconsistent statements, but discharged and acquitted him on Counts 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Following allocutus by the defence counsel, Justice Oji sentenced Onadeko to nine months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N50,000 fine.
The judgment, according to the ICPC, has also clarified the legal status of various categories of aides appointed to public office holders.
The commission said the court affirmed that Personal Assistants, Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Legislative Aides, Senior Legislative Aides and other similar appointees who receive salaries, allowances or other emoluments from public funds qualify as public officers under the ICPC Act, 2000.
The court further held that the status applies regardless of whether such appointments are temporary, fixed-term or non-pensionable.
The ICPC said the judgment represents a significant clarification of the scope of the term “public officer” under the anti-corruption law and its application to individuals serving as aides to elected and appointed public officials.
By PRNigeria
