IPPIS Officials Jailed for Diverting Salaries of Ex-Staff

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced two officials of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to three years in prison for their involvement in payroll fraud amounting to N1.17 million.

Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala delivered the judgment on Monday, convicting Shola Onasanya, a Chief Accountant, and Halimat Olalere, a Principal Executive Officer of Accounts, both assigned to the IPPIS Payroll Desk at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Meta.

The duo was found guilty on a two-count amended charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The charges stemmed from fraudulent activities committed between January and December 2023, where the officials diverted salaries meant for former employees into personal accounts.

The court heard that Olalere substituted her own bank account details for those of exited staff, enabling continued salary payments into her account.

At the direction of Onasanya, she later transferred the funds to him.

The total sum involved was N1.17 million.

Following a plea bargain agreement reached with the prosecution, both defendants pleaded guilty to the amended charges.

ICPC prosecutor, Mr. Enosa Omoghibo, informed the court of the agreement, which had been filed on September 4.

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He urged the court to adopt the terms under Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

In line with the plea deal, Justice Kala sentenced each defendant to three years’ imprisonment with an option to pay a N100,000 fine.

He further ordered the immediate closure of two bank accounts UBA account number 1004722884 and Union Bank account number 0171442130 used in perpetrating the fraud.

The offences were found to be in violation of Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The amended Charge marked FHC/L/559c/2025 against the convicts read: “That you Onasanya Fasasi Sola (m), Chief Accountant, payroll desk officer (IPPIS), Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, between the months of January to December 2023 in Ebute-Metta, Lagos converted to your personal use the total sum of N1, 170, 000, 00 (One Million, One Hundred & Seventy Thousand Naira) monies derived from corruption to wit: deliberately failing to take necessary steps as payroll desk officer (IPPIS) to stop the salaries of staff members who have exited the service of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, but substituted Zenith bank Account NO. 2008294771 and Union bank Account NO. 0171442130 of lere Alimat Temitope, your colleague in the Accounts Department, Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta into which salaries of some exited staff members were continually being paid and you directed the said Staff to continually transfer the sums received into your personal UBA Account NO. 1004722884; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 18(2)(b)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022. 

“That you Olalere Alimat Temitope, Principal Executive Officer (Accounts), Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, between the months of January to December 2023 in in Ebute-Metta, Lagos aided one Onasanya Fasasi Sola (m), Chief Accountant, payroll desk officer (IPPIS), Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta. Lagos to convert to his personal use the total sum of N1, 170, 000.00 (One Million, One Hundred & Seventy Thousand Naira) monies derived from corruption to wit: Onasanya Fasasi Sola deliberately failed to take necessary steps as payroll desk officer (IPPIS) to stop the salaries of staff members whe have exited the service of he Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, but substituted to your knowledge your Zenith bank Account NO. 2008294771 and Union bank Account No. 0171442130 into which salaries of some of the exited staff members were continually being paid and you thereafter always transfer the sums received through your accounts into the personal UBA account NO. 1004722884 of Onasanya Fasasi Sola; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 21(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.”