The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned the Chairman of Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, Ibrahim Muhammed Abdullahi, over his alleged complicity in the diversion of N2.2 million.
Abdullahi was charged before Justice Jamilu Shehu Sulaiman, of the Kano State High Court, sitting in Kano, for approving the payment of N2,159,700 as commission on revenue collected to two revenue officers working for the area council.
ICPC, in a four-count charge, held that the council chairman did commit an offence when he approved multiple payments of 20 percent commission to the revenue officers in excess of the three to five percent permitted by a Kano State law.
The alleged offence was committed between March and June, 2018, contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
He was accused of separately approving the payments of N1.4 million as 20 percent commission on revenue generated to Abdullahi Adamu, and N733,000 to Sani Ibrahim.
One of the count reads, “That you, Ibrahim Mohammed Abdullahi, sometime in March, 2018 in Kano, while being chairman of Fagge Local Government Area, Kano State, used your office to confer an unfair advantage on another public officer when you authorized the payment of the sum of N689,200 to one Abdullahi Adamu as 20 percent commission on revenue collected by his team on behalf of Fagge Local Council between 13th to 20th March, 2018, in excess of three to five percent permitted by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
His counsel, Ibrahim Aminu, in a bail application, moved that he be admitted to bail after he took a not guilty plea when the charge was read to him.
The prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Garba, who did not opposed the bail application however moved that the court should grant him bail on terms that will enable him attend his trials. The trial judge, Justice Sulaiman, in his ruling noted that he was an incumbent local government chairman and admitted him to bail in the sum of N500,000 and adjourned the matter to 17th January 2022 for hearing.