Court Jails Kebbi LG Chairman Over N54m Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of the sole administrator and caretaker chairman of Sakaba local government area of Kebbi State, Mr. Abubakar Bawa Makuku, for contract fraud and abuse of office involving the sum of N54 million.

Also convicted was the director of Finance and Supply, Mr. Ahmed Abdullahi Fakai.

The duo was arraigned before Justice E. Gakko of the Federal High Court sitting in Birnin-Kebbi on multiple counts bordering on abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards and financial misconduct.

ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare, said during the trial, prosecution counsel, Mr. Hamza Sani, presented evidence showing that Dakai unlawfully withdrew a total of N54 million from the coffers of Sakaba Local Government in six tranches of N9 million each, in a deliberate attempt to evade financial reporting protocols.

The court also heard how Makuku corruptly awarded contracts without following due process and personally benefited from the diversion of N10 million earmarked for official engagements of the local government.

One of the charges read: “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 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.”

Another charge read: “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 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.”

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.

However, in his judgrment, Justice Gakko found the duo guilty as charged and convicted them accordingly.

Fakai was sentenced to three years in imprisonment or a fine of N2.5 million, while Makuku received a four-year jail term or a fine of N1 million as compensation to Sakaba Local Government, in addition to another N1.5 million fine.