Gombe Councillor sentenced to 3-month imprisonment over vote buying

The Councillor representing Bolari East in Gombe local government area of Gombe State, Ishiyaku Garba, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment over vote buying.

Justice Sa’ad Muhammad, gave the verdict at a Gombe State High Court.

The councilor was dragged to the court by Gombe Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over three-count charge bordering on bribery.

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The commission told the court that Ishiyaku was arrested by its operatives based on intelligence report and was arrested at Bolari Polling Unit 0077 in Gombe metropolis during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, where he was arrested while sharing money.

EFCC counsel, S.E Okemini said the offence was contrary to Section 124 (5) of Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and punishable under Section 124 (1) (c) of the same Act.

When asked by the court, the councillor pleaded guilty to the three-count charges.

Prosecuting counsel also presented a witness, Hillary Obetta who reviewed the facts and also tender evidence against him which the court admitted as Exhibits 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The defence counsel, Barrister S.A. Mustapha, however, pleaded to the court for leniency.

In his verdict, Justice Sa’ad Muhammad, convicted him on the three counts and sentenced him to one month in prison with an option of N100,000 as fine for count one; one month in prison on count two, with an option of N50,000 as fine; one month in prison on count three, with an option of N20,000 as fine.

Justice Muhammad said the prison terms are to run consecutively.

He further ordered that the sum of N295,000 recovered from the convict should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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