4 ex-directors of Gombe revenue service docked for fraud

Four former Executive Directors of the Gombe Internal Revenue Service have been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, for fraud by the Gombe zonal office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The suspects, who were arraigned before Justice Nehizena Afolabi on 25 counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and money laundering are former Executive Director, Admin and Finance, Aishatu Yakubu; former Executive Director, Tax Operation, Mohammed Mohammed; former Executive Director, Tax and Audit, Wesley Kumusa Audu; and former Executive Director, Non Tax Operations, Mijinyawa Labaran.

They were alleged to have connived to pay several allowances and benefits which amounted to N47m without government approval.

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They were also accused of allegedly raising fictitious contracts, released the funds and diverted it for their personal use.

The payments, according to the prosecution, were allegedly made from the national number plate account of the Board, which was meant for remittance into the state’s Internally Generated Revenue account.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, A.Y. Muntaka to apply to the court for a date to commence trial, while the defence counsel, Habu Abdu, sought the leave of the court to move the bail application of his clients.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Afolabi granted the defendants bail in the sum of N15m each and two sureties each in like sum. He however ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relative of the defendant and the other, a civil servant of Grade Level 14 or above.

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