ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
A Bauchi State High Court sitting in Bauchi has sentenced a former Accountant-General in the State, Yusuf Gokaru, to one year imprisonment for indulging in N108m scam.
This was contained in a statement signed by Wilson Uwajaren, which was sent to our Correspondent in Bauchi from the Gombe Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe.
According to the statement, the EFCC, Gombe Zonal office on Wednesday secured the conviction of Gokaru, before Justice Muazu Abubakar of the Bauchi State High Court on charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, concealment of the source and origin of the money.
Gokaru’s troubles began in August 2019 when the Bauchi State Government, in a petition to the Commission, alleged that the convict abused his office as Accountant General and obtained the sum of N108, 363, 200 for personal use.
The money was diverted from the World Bank assistance to Bauchi State Government under the State Education Programme Investment Project, SEPIP.
He transferred the money from Bauchi State Consolidated Naira Account domiciled at Polaris Bank to a Unity Bank account.
The Judge, according the statement, stated that “the offence is contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
The statement further stated that in the course of investigation, N31m was recovered from the defendant.
Adding that however, upon arraignment on March 13, 2020, he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, setting the stage for trial.
The statement further revealed that: “The prosecution Counsel, A. Y. Muntaka in the course of trial presented witnesses and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence”.
“When the case come up today, April 7, the defendant changed his plea and pleaded ‘guilty’ as charged”.
“Consequently, the judge pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to one year imprisonment with an option of fine.”
The statement concluded that Justice Abubakar also ordered the convict to pay the sum of N77m as restitution to Bauchi State Government within one year.
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