Bauchi CJ Swears in 31 Commissioners of Oath for Sharia Court of Appeal

Bauchi CJ Swears in 31 Commissioners of Oath for Sharia Court of Appeal
  •  Laments fraudulent activities of few staff

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, has bemoaned the fraudulent activities of yet-to-be identified group of persons within the state judiciary through the use of forged documents belonging to the state judiciary.

She also lamented that the development has plunged the state government into huge liabilities running into billions of naira.

Justice Umar, who disclosed this yesterday in Bauchi during the inauguration of 31 commissioners for oath for the Sharia Court of Appeal Division of the state judiciary, said the swearing-in of the commissioners for oath from the Sharia Court of Appeal was a new innovation in line with modern trend as obtainable in most states and jurisdiction to check the menace of corruption and prevent leakage of government revenue.

According to her, the newly appointed Commissioners of Oath for the state Sharia Court of Appeal will work with those of the state High Court, pointing out that she has given a recent directive to investigate where some staff of the High Court entered into contractual relationship with various companies worth billions of naira using forged stamp, letterhead paper of the office of the Chief Registrar and forms without the knowledge of the state judiciary, authority or consent.

The fraudulent contracts, according to her, include Daneejow for the sum of N162,000,000.00 (supplied 6,000 bags of rice); Nakuwa Nigerian Enterprise for the sum of N168,000,000.00 (supplied 6,000 bags of rice); Anieco Global Synergy Limited, the sum of N1,080,000,000.00 (to supply 4,000 laptops); Kommy Foods and Braids Limited, the sum of N2,200,000.00 (supplied 180 bags of rice)

Others are Y.K Priority for the sum of N3,100,000,000.00 (to supply 10,000 Lady’s motorcycle); Task Systems N1,100,000,000.00 (to supply 500 units of laptops); Mabs Resources Limited. N5, 750,000,000 (to supply Keke Napep 5 units); Rockchuks Resources International Limited (1,800 bags of rice) and Khusufah Nigerian Limited. 50,400,000.00 (400 bags of rice).

“In an instance where the victims of the fraudulent activity complained directly to the EFCC, the staff were investigated and charged to court by the commission, and are currently standing trial. Another similar instance was about four months ago when some staff of the High Court defrauded a company in Kaduna State using forged documents of the High Court of Bauchi State. The company petitioned them to the AIG Zone 12, Bauchi. They were investigated and charged to court by the police and subsequently remanded at Correctional Service facility.

“All these fraudulent contractual transactions being entered into by these enemies of the judiciary to defraud innocent people are with full support and active connivance of their godfathers who is a senior member of the organisation operating behind the scene and share in the proceeds of the fraud,” the Justice said.

She, however, congratulated the newly appointed and sworn-in Commissioners for Oath, and urged them to shun all forms of corruption, malpractices and unethical behaviour in the discharge of the onerous responsibilities bestowed on them.

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