The Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, has bemoaned the fraudulent activities of yet-to-be identified group of persons within the state judiciary through the use of forged documents belonging to the state judiciary.
She also lamented that the development has plunged the state government into huge liabilities running into billions of naira.
Justice Umar, who disclosed this yesterday in Bauchi during the inauguration of 31 commissioners for oath for the Sharia Court of Appeal Division of the state judiciary, said the swearing-in of the commissioners for oath from the Sharia Court of Appeal was a new innovation in line with modern trend as obtainable in most states and jurisdiction to check the menace of corruption and prevent leakage of government revenue.
According to her, the newly appointed Commissioners of Oath for the state Sharia Court of Appeal will work with those of the state High Court, pointing out that she has given a recent directive to investigate where some staff of the High Court entered into contractual relationship with various companies worth billions of naira using forged stamp, letterhead paper of the office of the Chief Registrar and forms without the knowledge of the state judiciary, authority or consent.
The fraudulent contracts, according to her, include Daneejow for the sum of N162,000,000.00 (supplied 6,000 bags of rice); Nakuwa Nigerian Enterprise for the sum of N168,000,000.00 (supplied 6,000 bags of rice); Anieco Global Synergy Limited, the sum of N1,080,000,000.00 (to supply 4,000 laptops); Kommy Foods and Braids Limited, the sum of N2,200,000.00 (supplied 180 bags of rice)
Others are Y.K Priority for the sum of N3,100,000,000.00 (to supply 10,000 Lady’s motorcycle); Task Systems N1,100,000,000.00 (to supply 500 units of laptops); Mabs Resources Limited. N5, 750,000,000 (to supply Keke Napep 5 units); Rockchuks Resources International Limited (1,800 bags of rice) and Khusufah Nigerian Limited. 50,400,000.00 (400 bags of rice).
She, however, congratulated the newly appointed and sworn-in Commissioners for Oath, and urged them to shun all forms of corruption, malpractices and unethical behaviour in the discharge of the onerous responsibilities