Ex-Gombe revenue board chairman arraigned over N25m fraud
The EFCC, on Tuesday, arraigned a former chairman of the Gombe State Board of Internal Revenue and three staff of the board before the Federal High Court sitting in Gombe, over alleged N25.6 million fraud.
The former chairman, Atiku Mu’azu Bayum; chief store officer, Mohammed Adi; chief accountant, Ibrahim Abubakar; and a director, Abubakar Usman were arraigned on 30-count charge bordering on forgery, and obtaining money by false pretence.
The charge sheet read to the defendants when they appeared before the court stated that they used their capacities as chairman, chief store officer, chief accountant, and director of the board respectively, to conspire, forge documents and obtain the sum of N25,060, 000 belonging to the Gombe State Government.
Investigations revealed that the documents forged included several receipts attached to payment vouchers for which payments were released and converted to their personal used in the cause of their duties.
They all pleaded not guilty to all the charges read to them. The prosecution counsel, O. Israel, applied for a date of trial.
Defence counsel informed the court that he filled application for bail dated 2nd July, 2018 which was duly served on the prosecution. He was allowed to move the application.
