A federal high court in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi state capital, has convicted Abubakar Bawa Makuku, a former caretaker chairman of Sakaba LG in Kebbi state, and Ahmed Abdullahi Fakai, ex-director of finance and supply, for contract fraud.
Makuku and Fakai were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on multiple counts bordering on abuse of office and fraudulent contract awards to the tune of N54 million.
Hamza Sani, ICPC counsel, told the court that Fakai unlawfully withdrew N54 million from the coffers of Sakaba LGA in six tranches of N9 million each
Sani said the sum was divided into tranches in a “deliberate attempt” to evade financial reporting protocols.
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The prosecutor said Makuku corruptly awarded contracts without following due process and personally benefited from the diversion of N10 million earmarked for official engagements.
“That you, Ahmed Abdullahi Fakai, in June 2016 or thereabout, at Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while serving as Director of Finance and Supply, withdrew a total of N54,000,000.00 (Fifty-Four Million Naira) from the Sakaba Local Government bank account at First Bank Nigeria Plc in six tranches of N9,000,000.00 each, with the intent to avoid the legal duty of reporting the said sum, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(c) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” part of the charge sheet reads.
“That you, Abubakar Bawa Makuku, in May 2016 or thereabout, at Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, while serving as Sole Administrator, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourself by receiving N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) in cash from the Finance and Supply office of Sakaba Local Government. The funds were designated for official government activities but were not utilized for their intended purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
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E. Gakko, the trial judge, convicted and sentenced the defendants after they pleaded guilty to the charges.
Fakai was sentenced them to three years in prison or a fine of N2.5 million, while Makuku got a four-year jail term or a fine of N2.5 million as compensation to Sakaba LGA.
