Lawmaker jailed for N31m fraud

Zamfara State House of Assembly member Lawali Gogonkad, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of N31m fraud.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission preferred the corruption charge against him.

He was arraigned before Justice Bello Shimkafi of a Zamfara State High Court sitting in Gusau on Thursday on four counts.

The lawmaker represented the Kaura-Namoda council area in the state House of Assembly.

A statement by the ICPC spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, said Gogonkade was accused of using his position to confer corrupt advantage upon himself in a N31m contract meant for the supply of medical equipment to the state government.

According to her, the act violated sections 10, 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The statement said the counsel for the ICPC, Mashkur Salisu, told the court that the convict received N4.5m from the Managing Director of Madaci Pharmacy, Mr Hamisu Jibril, as a percentage of the sum of a contract awarded by the state government for the supply of medical equipment.

Gogonkade’s counsel, Abubakar Junaidu, had earlier argued on the propriety of the charge before the court, saying that the accused had been charged once before the Federal High Court in Gusau by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Shinkafi however overruled him, and the suspect 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 dependants, who rely on him solely for their livelihood.

“Following his guilty plea, the ICPC counsel invited the court to convict him in line with the provisions of Section 274 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015,” the ICPC spokesperson said.

In sentencing Gogonkade to four years in prison, Justice Shinkafi ruled that he had an option of paying a fine of N30,000 on each of the counts preferred against him by the ICPC.