The Area Court Judge of Gombe state, Mr. Umar Y. Gwani has been remanded in prison custody for an alleged fraud and professional misdemeanor in the discharge of duty.
Presenting its case before the higher court, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission, EFCC, Zarami Mohammed disclosed that the accused was caught conspiring two others to sell landed properties belonging to the state government to the public through false pretense.He averred further that the judge was also alleged to have been involved in the collection of money from different prospective buyers of the land by providing fake document in connection with his accomplices to present the transaction as if it was legit via state government transaction.
According to Mr. Zarami, " The accused conspired with two others to sell plots of land belonging to Gombe State government to the public through false pretense".
"He said the judge failed to contact the Ministry of Land and Survey and Local Government Area before selling the plots of land to the public"."He also said the judge later had denied receiving payments for the eight or nine plots sold for N7 million".
"The accused judge appeared before the Federal High court on a four- count charge".
"Speaking to journalists after the hearing, his counsel, Mukaan Kingsley, said that he was surprised to see that the listed count charges were different from what transpired in court".
