The management of the Federal University of Technology Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH) says it will pursue legal action against members of staff allegedly involved in a job racketeering scheme that defrauded unsuspecting applicants seeking employment at the institution.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the hospital’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Tope Fayehun, the management alleged that the suspects collected between N200,000 and N600,000 from job seekers and issued fake appointment letters in the name of the hospital.
According to the statement, the management uncovered allegations that individuals posing as key officials of the institution promised prospective applicants employment in the newly established teaching hospital in exchange for money.
It stated, “The management has become aware of allegations that certain persons, posing as important officers, had collected money and gratification from job seekers with promises of securing placement in the new hospital.
“According to information available to the management, the hapless applicants allegedly paid sums ranging from N200,000 to N600,000 and were issued with purported ‘appointment letters’ in the name of the management of the UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Akure.
“The management has also received reports that some of the affected job seekers, whose names are withheld, are now demanding refunds from the fraudsters after it became clear that they were not going to be absorbed into the Federal Government establishment, as they had been promised.”
The hospital said the alleged fraud had left some of the victims seeking refunds after discovering that the promised appointments would not materialise.
It added that the institution would not allow the matter to go unpunished and would hand over available evidence to relevant authorities for investigation and prosecution.
“The hospital is prepared to make available relevant information and materials in its possession to the appropriate law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies,” the statement noted.
