Court convicts CBT owner for registration infraction

A Grade One Area Court sitting at Aco Estate, Abuja, has convicted a CBT owner, Mr Ezechinoso Augustine, of registration infraction, concealment, breach of trust and theft.

Mr Ezechinonso was charged to court by the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board, JAMB, for criminal breach of trust concealment, registration infraction (cheating) and theft.

The petitioner alleged that Ezechinoso signed and collected a customised and sensitive registration material from the Anambra State office of the Board to kick start the process of UTME registration but instead concealed it with the intention to defraud the board.

It was gathered that the accused lied and denied being in possession of the materials so he could acquire another one to perpetuate fraudulent activities in his CBT centre.

However, findings by JAMB revealed that he concealed the materials.

The presiding judge, Aliyu Ibrahim Kagarko, on Friday, 9th February 2024, found the suspect guilty on all four counts, citing the criminal breach of trust, which attracted a nine-month imprisonment or 30 thousand naira fine and attempt to commit the offence of cheating, which attracts a six-month imprisonment or a fine of twenty thousand naira.

Ezechinoso was also found guilty of intent to conceal, which attracted a three-month imprisonment term or the payment of a fine of ten thousand naira while the fourth count charge, which was theft, attracted eight months or an option of a thirty thousand naira fine.

In its reaction, JAMB welcomed the judgement and warned would-be infractors to desist from their nefarious agenda or face the full wrath of the law. The Board reassured the public that it would not leave any stone unturned to protect its systems and clients against any form of violation.

Consequently, it vowed to follow up the prosecution of the case of the reported violation of the data protection right of a 15-year-old candidate by an agent of a CBT Centre currently before a Lagos Court and assured the parents of the 15-year-old girl and other concerned Nigerians involved that justice would be served accordingly.