The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Gombe Zonal office, has secured the conviction of Yusuf Ibrahim Gokaru, a former Bauchi State Accountant-General, before Justice Muazu Abubakar of the Bauchi State High Court on charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretense, concealment of the source and origin of the money.
The EFCC, in a statement made available to ROOTS TV, said his 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 One Hundred and Eight Million, Three Hundred and Sixty-Three Thousand, Two Hundred Naira Only. (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. The defendant transferred the money from Bauchi State Consolidated Naira Account domiciled at Polaris Bank to a Unity Bank account.
The offense 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.
In the course of the investigation, Thirty-One Million Naira (N31m) was recovered from the defendant. However, upon arraignment on March 13, 2020, he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, setting the stage for trial.
The prosecution counsel, A.Y. Muntaka in the course of the trial presented witnesses and tendered documents that were admitted in evidence. When the case came 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.
Justice Abubakar also ordered the convict to pay the sum of Seventy-seven Million Naira (N77m) as restitution to Bauchi State Government within one year.
