Convicted
zamfara lawmaker Lawali Attahiru
Convicted
zamfara lawmaker Lawali Attahiru Dogonkade
Zamfara Lawmaker Arraigned, Convicted same day over N31m
Fraud
A Zamfara State High Court sitting in Gusau, has sentenced a
serving member of the State’s House of Assembly, Lawali Attahiru
Dogonkade, to four years imprisonment over an alleged N31 million
fraud.
Dogonkade who was arraigned today by the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on a
four-count charge bordering on conferring corrupt advantage on
himself admitted guilt before Justice Bello Shinkafi, thereby
leading to his immediate conviction by the court.
The convict, representing Kauran-Namoda Local Government in the
Zamfara State House of Assembly, was accused of using his position
to confer corrupt advantage upon himself in a N31, 290, 000
contract meant for the supply of medical equipment to the State
Government in violation of Sections 10, 12 and 19 of the Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Counsel to ICPC, Mashkur Salisu, in one of the counts told the
court that the convict 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, Mr. Abubakar Junaidu, had earlier argued on the
propriety of the charge before the court saying that the accused
had been charged one time before the Federal High Court in Gusau by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). But the trial
judge overruled his argument and shortly after, the convict entered
into a guilty plea.
Junaidu then 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.
Following his guilty plea, the Counsel to the Commission invited
the court to convict him 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 totaling N120, 000.
Signed: Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni
Spokesperson for the Commission