ICPC to appeal ex-Bauchi gov aide’s acquittal
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has said it will appeal the ruling of the Bauchi State High Court which discharged and acquitted Sanusi Isa, a former personal assistant to ex-governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda.
The anti-graft agency’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, revealed this in a Sunday statement obtained by our correspondent.
Ogugua noted that the Chief Judge of Bauchi State and the presiding judge in the case, Justice Rabi Umar, had on December 13, 2022, discharged and acquitted Sanusi Isa of all the 36 counts against him bordering on corruption, and ordered the release of all his properties in the possession of the ICPC.
She added that the ICPC traced and seized 220 flats, located in 20 estates, belonging to Sanusi Isa in 2017. The houses range from two-bedroom to three-bedroom flats.
Other items seized were sophisticated guns, rounds of ammunition, exotic cars, designer watches, bales of brocade and air conditioners.
According to Ogugua, the ICPC expresses its dissatisfaction in the discharge and acquittal of Isa by the Bauchi State High Court, adding that it avers that the court’s judgment is not in consonance with the weight of evidence before the court, including its refusal to allow civil forfeiture.
She revealed that part of the evidence presented to the court was the fact that the defendant couldn’t have acquired the 220 two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats, located in 20 estates, and other assets based on his annual salary and allowance. The 220 flats in 20 estates are valued at N1,857,351,750:00.
Sanusi Isa worked with the Bauchi Investment Corporation from October 3, 1989 to December, 2012 before joining the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Bauchi on December 31, 2012 as a director on grade level 16.
Isa was released for the special assignment of Personal Assistant to the then governor of Bauchi State, Yuguda, on December 22, 2008. By the directives to release him for the special assignment, he was to enjoy his salary and other entitlements of N9,122,388.45 annually from the Bauchi Investment Corporation and was entitled to an allowance of N15,000.00 monthly as a personal assistant to the former governor.
Ogugua noted that the ICPC strongly believed the assets seized from Isa were acquired with state funds and he was only a front for another politically-exposed person who is the original owner of the confiscated assets.
