Independent Corrupt Practices. and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has given details of how Majority Leader of Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Philip Shuaib forged tax papers.
Shuiab, the third most important member of Edo State House of Assembly, is a staunch supporter of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Both men belong to All Progressives’ Congress (APC).
In a charge sheet before the High Court of Edo State, Benin City, ICPC stated that Hon. Shuaib in November 2006 lied to officers of the state Board of Internal Revenue, to fraudulently obtain a tax clearance certificate.
According to the charge sheet, to obtain the tax clearance certificate, Shuaib lied to the tax officers that he was an employee of a certain Zaknote Nigeria Ventures Limited from 2003 to 2006.
He also presented forged payroll documents of Zaknote Ventures Nigeria Limited to obtain tax clearance certificate, ICPC said.
The commission, in the charge sheet exclusively obtained by Pointblanknews.com, said Shuaib’s actions were contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) of the ICPC Act 2000, and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the same Act.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that when the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blew the lid on Shuaib’s forgery, he was invited by ICPC for questioning.
In the charge sheet with reference number 8/ICPC/1/13, and signed by Dennis Idoko, ICPC’s assistant legal officer, when invited by ICPC for questioning, Shuaib again lied to its investigators.
One of the six-count charge read, “Making false statement knowingly to the officers of the commission contrary to Section
25(1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”
Shuaib made the false statement to ICPC officers in July 2000, the charge sheet said.
A staunch supporter of Governor Oshiomhole, Shuaib allegedly fraudulently obtained the tax clearance certificate which enabled him contest and win the Etsako-West constituency seat of the state in 2007.
Shuaib was re-elected in 2011. He is the governor’s representative in the state Assembly.
A few months ago, Shuaib launched verbal attacks on Edo PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, for claiming that the Oshiomhole administration was indebted to the tune of N200 billion.
