A deputy director in the Sokoto State Civil Service, Aminu Abdullahi Mega, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Sokoto State High court for defrauding the state government of N2.6 million.
This is coming as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Sokoto Zonal Office re-arraigned Meng Wei Kun and Xui Kuoi, before Justice Saleh Kogo Idrissa of the Federal High Court Sokoto for fraud.
The two Chinese were docked on a three-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N50 million.
A statement issued yesterday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said Mega, a deputy director in charge of infrastructure, in the Sokoto Agriculture Development Project (SADP), was earlier arraigned by the ICPC on a two-count charge bordering on fraudulent diversion of government funds.
The anti-graft agency in a charge sheet filed before Justice Malami Umar, of High Court 3, Sokoto, accused Mega of fraudulently converting into personal use, the sum of N2, 626, 500 being government money meant for the construction of borehole at SADP Housing Estate in the state.
He was also accused of presenting fake receipts to the commission during investigation to cover the fraud, thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 16 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
He pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.
ICPC counsel, Mashkur Salisu, who had earlier tendered before the court, documents showing evidence of recoveries made from the convict by the commission, prayed the judge to sentence him as charged according to the provisions of Section 273 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019 of Sokoto State.