Former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Yusuf Ibrahim Gokaru has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for diverting funds belonging to the State Government.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made Gokara appear before Justice Muazu Abubakar of the Bauchi State High Court on charges bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, concealment of the source and origin of the money.
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According to the anti-graft agency, the Bauchi State Government had in 2019 petitioned the Commission and alleged that the convict abused his office as Accountant General to obtain the sum of N108,363,200 for personal use.
The money was reportedly diverted from the World Bank account to Bauchi State Government under the State Education Programme Investment Project (SEPIP).
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 Commission said in the course of its investigation, N31m was recovered from the defendant.
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The defendant who had on March 13, 2020 pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him, changed his plea and pleaded “guilty” as charged at Wednesday’s ruling.
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 N77m as restitution to Bauchi State Government within a year.
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