For stealing IDP relief materials, gov't officials bag 18 months in prison

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Gombe zonal office, on Friday secured the conviction of a former Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Dallami Rukuje, before Justice Abubakar Jauro of the state’s high court on three counts bordering on conspiracy and criminal misappropriation.

Rukuje was said to have conspired with the second convict, Isa Garba, the store officer of GOSEMA, to steal building materials brought to Gombe State by the Presidential Committee for the North East Initiatives to Internally Displaced Persons as relief materials.

They were jailed 18 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N300,000 fine each.

The convicts reportedly conspired to sell 5000 bags of cement and 4000 drums of 20-litre paints and used the proceeds for their personal benefit.

The offences are contrary to sections 84, 85, 97, and 309 of the Penal Code.

They were arraigned on February 28, 2018 and pleaded not guilty to all the three counts, which made the prosecution counsel, A. M. Labaran, to request a date for trial.

The trial lasted for 25 months from the day of their arraignment and five witnesses were called by the prosecution. Fifteen exhibits were also tendered.

On their part, the defence counsel invited three witnesses.

Both parties filed their final written addresses on December 20, 2019.

While delivering the judgment, Justice Jauro said the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubts and pronounced the defendants guilty as charged.

The court sentenced the defendants to 14 months’ imprisonment on count one and 18 months’ imprisonment on each of count two and three.

The jail terms will run concurrently, meaning that the convicts would spend 18 months in prison.

However, an option of N100,000 fine was given to each of the convicts on each count, indicating, they are to pay N300,000 fine each.

Justice Jauro also ordered Rukuje to pay the sum of N7,960,340.00 to GOSEMA, while N195,000 and N80,000 recovered from the second convict would be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.