A Yobe State High Court has jailed the Auditor-General for Local Government in Yobe State, Idris Yahaya, for misappropriation of N19.9 million.
Yahaya was handed over a five-year jail term by the court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), charged Mr Yahaya, with the misappropriation of the funds.
This was disclosed in a statement released via the EFCC’s Twitter handle on Monday.
Yahaya was first arraigned on Wednesday, 9 November 2022, Mr Yahaya pleaded not guilty to the charge, setting the stage for his full trial.
The statement by EFCC read, “Alhaji Idris Yahaya, the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, is to spend five years in prison, following his conviction today, Monday, March 13, 2023, by Justice Muhammad Lawu Lawan of the Yobe State High Court.
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“He was convicted after being pronounced guilty of a one-count of criminal misappropriation to the tune of Nineteen Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N19,900,000.00) preferred against them by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
“Yahaya received funds from the Office of the Auditor General for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Yobe State, for the purchase of an official vehicle, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, and diverted part of the money to his personal use.”
Earlier, EFCC told the court that Mr Yahaya received funds from the Office of the Auditor General for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Yobe State, for the purchase of an official vehicle, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, and diverted part of the money to his personal use.
The one count charge reads: ”That you, Yahaya Lawal Idris, being the Auditor General for Local Government, Yobe State, between the 20th to 21st day of May, 2017 at Damaturu, Yobe State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, received the sum of N19,900,000.00 via your personal account number 1001480930 with account name Alhaji Yahaya Idris domiciled in United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) from the Local Government Audit Account Number 5030030060 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc for the purchase of a brand new Toyota Corolla 2015 Model, did dishonestly misappropriated the gross sum of N10,100,000.00 (Ten Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira) only.”