BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has said that it is set to appeal the ruling of the Bauchi State High Court which discharged and acquitted Sanusi Mohammed Isa, a former personal assistant to ex-Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda.
This was contained in a statement signed in Abuja on Sunday by the ICPC spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua
Justice Rabi T. Umar, the Chief Judge of the Bauchi State and the presiding judge in the case, had on December 13, 2022, discharged and acquitted Isa on all the 36 count charges against him bordering on corruption, and ordered the release of “all his properties in the possession of the Commission”.
Ogugua said in the statement that the ICPC had traced and seized 220 flats, located in 20 estates, belonging to Isa in 2017.
She said the houses ranged from two-bedroom to three-bedroom flats.
Ogugua listed other items seized as sophisticated guns, rounds of ammunition, exotic cars, designer watches, bales of brocade and air conditioners.
She said the Commission has expressed its dissatisfaction in the discharge and acquittal of Isa by the Bauchi State High Court, stating that the state high court’s judgment was not in consonance with the weight of evidence before the court, including its refusal to allow civil forfeiture.
She said part of the evidence presented to the court was the fact that the defendant couldn’t have acquired the 220 two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats, located in 20 estates, and other assets based on his annual salary and allowance.
Ogugua said the 220 flats in 20 estates were valued at N1, 857,351,750:00.
Isa worked with the Bauchi Investment Corporation from October 3, 1989 to December 31, 2012 before joining the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Bauchi on December 31, 2012 as a director on grade level 16.
Isa was released for the special assignment of personal assistant to the then Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda on December 22, 2008.
By the directives to release him for the special assignment, he was to enjoy his salary and other entitlements of N9, 122,388.45 annually from the Bauchi Investment Corporation and was entitled to an allowance of N15, 000.00 monthly as a personal assistant to the former governor.
Ogugua stated that “the Commission strongly believes that the assets seized from Sanusi Mohammed Isa were acquired with state funds and he was only a front for another politically exposed person who is the original owner of the confiscated assets.”
