Court jails Gombe magistrate for two years and six months for corruption

The Gombe State High Court has found guilty and sentenced a magistrate, Mohammad Kumo, to two years and six months’ imprisonment for corruption, following prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice HH Kereng, who delivered the sentence on Wednesday, also gave the convict an option of a fine of N250,000 and ordered him to pay N500,000 as compensation to the EFCC for the costs of investigation and prosecution.

Kumo was arraigned on December 3, 2025 on three charges bordering on corruption. Early in the trial, he pleaded not guilty and challenged the court’s jurisdiction through his lawyer, Adamu Bawa.

The defense had argued that, as a judicial officer, the accused should have been tried by the Judicial Service Commission rather than a normal court.

However, prosecuting counsel, A. Aliyu, countered that a magistrate does not fall under the category of judicial officers as defined under Article 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

In a ruling issued on 17 February 2026, Judge Kereng accepted the prosecution’s argument and affirmed the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.

One of the charges against Kumo alleged that he received $1 million on November 6, 2024, through a Zenith Bank account belonging to a court registrar, Adamu Ahmed, while serving at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Pantami, Gombe State.

At the hearing resumed on May 5, 2026, the defendant made a dramatic U-turn, changing his plea from not guilty to guilty after the charges were read back to him in court.

Following the request, the prosecution urged the court to convict him and award $500,000 in compensation.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Kereng described the offense as serious and convicted the magistrate under section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000.

“I hereby sentence you for the crime of corruption. The sum of 500,000 naira is not excessive as compensation for the investigation and prosecution,” the judge ruled.

The case arises from a petition presented to the Ministry of Justice of Gombe State by two complainants, Abubakar Isa Jauro Kuna and Suleiman Haruna, who accused the magistrate of having asked for and received bribes.

The EFCC subsequently investigated the allegations, leading to the arraignment and eventual conviction of Kumo.

The ruling adds to a growing list of anti-corruption prosecutions by the commission, strengthening efforts to clean up the justice system and the public service.

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