Court jails Gombe councilor for vote-buying

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Justice Sa’ad Mohammed of the Gombe state High Court has convicted the Councillor of Bolari East Local Government Area of the state, Ishiyaku Garba for bribery.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe Zonal Office secured the conviction of Garba when he pleaded guilty to three count charge preferred against him.

Acting on intelligence report, the EFCC had arrested the councilor at Bolari polling unit 0077 during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, where he was caught inducing voters with money.

According to the prosecution, Garba and Joel Jagaba (now at large) used money to bribe voters on election day, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 124 (5) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and punishable under Section 124 (1) (c) of the same Act.

Prosecuting counsel, S.E. Okemini, apart from calling a witness, Hillary Obetta to testify against the accused persons, also tendered exhibits before the court.

Defence counsel, S.A. Mustapha, appealed to the court for leniency, since his client has admitted his guilt.

However, the trial judge, convicted the councilor on the three counts and sentenced him to one month in prison with an option of N100, 000 fine for count one; one month in prison on count two, with an option of N50, 000 fine and one month in prison on count three, with an option of N20, 000 fine.

The prison terms are to run consecutively.

The court further ordered that the sum of N295, 000 recovered from councilor be forfeited to the federal government.