The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has filed a 19-count charge against a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, over allegations of mismanaging the N1 billion loan meant for the repair of Gusau Dam in 2006.
The governor, who served as the governor of Zamfara State for two terms between 1999 and 2007 after which he won election to serve as a senator, is expected to arraigned at Zamfara State High Court on Thursday.
Yerima will be facing the charge along with three others — Alhaji Hashim A. Dikko, Development Management Limited and HAD Nigeria Limited. The former governor is to be tried before Justice Bello Shinkafi.
Yerima is alleged to have diverted N425,491,736.75 from the N1 billion for other purposes, including assistance to the Independent National Electoral Commission, furniture allowance, consultancy fee, Ramadan feeding, Hajj and purchase of cars.
The charges also revealed that the former governor used the sum of N574,508,263.25 for flood disaster related matters.
Yerima was a leading advocate of Sharia law.
His administration courted controversy after prosecuting a cow thief, Buba Jangebe, through a Shari’a Court, which in turn ordered the amputation of the hands of the alleged thief.
If convicted, the ex-governor is liable to a five years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Section 19 of the ICPC act 2000 says: “Any public officer, who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without option of fine.”
The charges against Sani, popularly called Yerima Bakura are that he:
• on or about November, 2006 whilst being the Governor of Zamfara State at Gusau spent money allocated for one project on another to wit: out of N1 billion additional budgetary allocation by Zamfara State House of Assembly for the repair of collapsed Gusau Dam and settlement of the victims of the said dam, which was obtained through a bank loan, spent the sum of N20m purportedly on assistance to INEC and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
• on or about October 2006 spent N10million purportedly on donation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
• spent N43,008,000 purportedly on surveillance of guests and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
*spent N21,450,000 purportedly on settlement of publication equipment and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
*spent N64,332,734 purportedly on sponsorship of government officials to Hajj and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
• spent the sum of N32,646,286 purportedly on settlement of accommodation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
• spent N15,800,000 purportedly on furniture allowance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000;
• spent N29,200,000 purportedly on purchase of 2000 Nanfang motorcycles and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; and
• that Sani on or about October 2006 spent N23,859,692 purportedly on payment to automobile company and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22 (5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Sani is also accused of spending N14 million purportedly on payment of auditing of account and N14,170,000 purportedly on Ramadan feeding.
Yerima is also to explain the spending of N14,530,000 (purportedly on purchase of four 406 Peugeot) and N36,000,000 purportedly on settlement of leave grant for teachers.
Sani is charged with spending N46,591,692.24 purportedly on school feeding.
