Judge Sentenced to Two and Half Years’ Imprisonment Over N1m Bribe

The Gombe State High Court has convicted and sentenced a magistrate, Mohammed Suleiman Kumo, to two and a half years’ imprisonment for receiving a N1 million bribe.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Kumo was first arraigned on December 3, 2025, on a three-count charge bordering on bribery.
On December 30, 2025, the magistrate filed a preliminary objection challenging the EFCC’s jurisdiction to prosecute him. He argued that, as a judicial officer, he ought to have been referred to the State Judicial Service Commission instead.
In response, EFCC counsel, A. Aliyu, argued that the defendant was a magistrate and not a judicial officer, citing Section 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Justice H.H. Kereng, the presiding judge, upheld the argument presented by the EFCC counsel.
The defendant initially pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
One of the charges read:
“That you, Muhammad Suleiman Kumo, being a magistrate at the Chief Magistrate Court, Pantami, in such capacity, on or about the 6th day of November 2024, in Gombe, Gombe State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did receive for yourself a monetary benefit of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) through Zenith Bank account number 2273938871 belonging to one Adamu Ahmed, a registrar in your court, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”
However, on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, counsel to the magistrate informed the court that the defendant wished to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty.”
He subsequently pleaded guilty after the charges were re-read to him.
Following the guilty plea, the prosecutor told the court that the prosecution team had expended considerable time and resources on the case before the defendant changed his plea.
The prosecutor urged the court to convict the defendant and, in addition to the sentence, order him to pay N500,000 as compensation to the EFCC.
In his judgment, Justice Kereng convicted the magistrate for committing an offence under Section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The judge sentenced him to two years and six months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N250,000 fine.
He also ordered the convict to pay N500,000 as compensation to the EFCC.