Gombe court jails magistrate over N1m bribery case
Justice H.H. Kereng of the Gombe State High Court has convicted and sentenced Magistrate Muhammad Suleiman Kumo to two years and six months’ imprisonment for bribery.
Kumo was initially arraigned on 3 December 2025 by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on three counts of bribery.
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Nkereuwem Effiong
Justice H.H. Kereng of the Gombe State High Court has convicted and sentenced Magistrate Muhammad Suleiman Kumo to two years and six months’ imprisonment for bribery.
Kumo was initially arraigned on 3 December 2025 by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on three counts of bribery.
On 30 December 2025, the defendant, through his counsel, Adamu Bawa, filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try him, arguing that as a judicial officer, he ought to be referred to the Judicial Service Commission for any alleged misconduct.
However, EFCC counsel, A. Aliyu, opposed the application, maintaining that the defendant was a magistrate and not a judicial officer, citing Section 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
In a ruling delivered on 17 February 2026, Justice Kereng upheld the prosecution’s argument and affirmed the court’s jurisdiction.
One of the charges stated that Kumo, while serving as a magistrate at the Chief Magistrate Court, Pantami, on 6 November 2024, received N1 million through a Zenith Bank account belonging to Adamu Ahmed, a registrar in his court, an act deemed contrary to Section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday, 5 May 2026, said Kumo initially pleaded not guilty.
However, at the resumed hearing on 5 May 2026, his counsel informed the court of his decision to change his plea from not guilty to guilty. When the charges were re-read, Kumo pleaded guilty.
Following the guilty plea, prosecution counsel told the court that substantial time and resources had already been committed to prosecuting the case and urged the court to convict the defendant and order him to pay N500,000 as compensation to the commission.
In his judgment, Justice Kereng emphasised the gravity of the offence, convicted Kumo under Section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, and ordered him to pay N500,000 as compensation for investigation and prosecution costs.
The court sentenced him to two years and six months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N250,000 fine.
Kumo’s prosecution followed allegations by the Gombe State Ministry of Justice after complaints of bribery were lodged against him by Abubakar Isa Jauro Kuna and Suleiman Haruna. He was subsequently investigated, prosecuted and convicted.
