Court Jails Zamfara Lawmaker For Four Years For Fraud — But He Can Also Pay N120,000 Fine

Lawali Attahiru Dogonkade, a serving member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud on a N31million contract.

Dogankade was convicted on Thursday by Justice Bello Shinkafi, a sitting judge at the Zamfara State High Court, on a four-count charge filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The convict, representing Kauran-Namoda Local Government in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, was accused of using his position to accrue to himself undue advantage in awarding a N31,290,000 contract meant for the supply of medical equipment to the state government.

ICPC said this violates Sections 10, 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

In one of the counts, counsel to ICPC, Mashkur Salisu, told the court that the lawmaker received N4.5 million from the Managing Director of Madaci Pharmacy, Mr. Hamisu Saminu Jibril, as percentage for the supply of medical equipment contract awarded by the state government.

His counsel, Abubakar Junaidu, had earlier argued on the propriety of the charge before the court stating that his client had earlier been charged before the Federal High Court in Gusau by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, the trial judge overruled his argument and shortly after, the convict entered into a guilty plea.

The lawyer of now convicted lawmaker pleaded with the court to be lenient with his client, considering the fact that he was a first-time offender with a large family and dependents who solely rely on him for their livelihood. 

Counsel to the Commission, however, asked that the Zamfara lawmaker be convicted in line with the provisions of 274 (2) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The court thereupon convicted the accused person as charged, and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment or payment of fine of N30,000 on each of the counts, totalling N120,000.

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source http://saharareporters.com/2018/11/22/court-jails-zamfara-lawmaker-four-years-fraud-%E2%80%94-he-can-also-pay-n120000-fine