Former Education Secretary To Spend 5-Year Jail Term For Putting Daughter Still In Secondary School On Government Pay Roll

A former Education Secretary of Bomadi Local Government Education Authority, Abayomi Tom Kelekumor, is to spend five years in jail, according to the judgement of a Delta State High Court, sitting in Ozoro for employing his daughter, Miss Preye Tom, into the service of the Local Government Education Authority.

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) website reports, Kelekumor, who was sentenced by Justice Briki Okolosi, without an option of fine, was accused by the ICPC of violating Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, by using his position to give appointment to his under aged relation.

The Commission, accused the convict of employing his daughter who was in senior secondary School(SS2), knowing fulling that she was still a student.

Miss Tom was employed as a Messenger on Salary Grade Level 02 by her father, in July 2003, while she was still a student of Tamigbe Grammar School, Toru-Tamigbe, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State.

A part of the charge sheet read: “Abayomi Tom Kelekumor, while being a public officer to wit: Education Secretary in Bomadi Local Government Council of Delta State in the month of July, 2003 or thereabout did confer unfair advantage upon his daughter, Miss Tom Preye when he employed her as a Messenger on Grade Level 02 while she was still a student of Tamigbe Grammar School, Toru-Tamigbe, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.”

The judge ruled that the convict will serve his terms without any option of fine in accordance with the act.