By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, has affirmed the 4-year jail term handed to two finance officials of the Sokoto State Government, Mr. Kabiru Bello and Mr. Bashar Garba by the Sokoto State High Court.
Mr. Bashar Garba, before his conviction by the lower court, was the State National Union of Teachers (NUT) treasurer, while Mr. Kabiru Bello was a staff of the State Ministry of Finance.
They were investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on allegations of fraud, and were found guilty by Justice Mohammed Mohammed of Sokoto High Court No.7, who sentenced each of them to 4-years imprisonment, and also ordered for the restitution of the proceeds of crime to the victims.
Dissatisfied with the said judgment, they approached the Court of Appeal Sokoto Division through their Counsel Mr. Kelechi D. Ogbonna, urging the court to set aside the judgment of the trial court.
ICPC Counsel, Mr. Mashkur Salisu, argued that the convicts were sentenced accordingly by the lower court for contravening the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Having listened to the arguments from both counsels, the Appeal court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the judgment of the lower court and dismissed the convicts’ appeal for lack of merit.
