High Court sentences 2 former accounts officials of Bauchi to 7 years, 3 months imprisonment each for fraud

By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

Bauchi Division of the Federal High Court has found two former accounts officials of Bauchi State Government guilty of financial misappropriation brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe Zonal Office. 
The Court therefore sentenced the duo of Kawu Chindo, former Chief Accountant of Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board and Ali Baba of the Office of the Accountant General of the State to 7 years and 3 months imprisonment each. 
The two were accused of conspiring to appropriate to themselves public funds to the tune of N73.7m by diverting the amount to personal account thereby committing the offence of fraud.

The Gombe Zonal Office of EFCC had commenced investigations on the allegation against the convicts as soon as it received a petition to that effect from Bauchi State Government. 
The State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development had accused the two officials of printing and issuing fake revenue receipts to intending hajj pilgrims in 2019.
They were accused to have rather than pay the sum into the account of the Board, diverted the money to their personal accounts with the intention of defrauding government and the innocent people who paid the money. 
At the end of the trial, the Federal High Court presided by Justice Mu’azu Abubakar found them guilty as charged and therefore sentenced them to 7 years and 3 months imprisonment on the 16th of February, 2022.