Some staff members of the judiciary in Bauchi State are currently facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly forging stamp and letterheaded paper of the state High Court with which they defrauded some companies of over N11.5bn, the state Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Umar, has disclosed.

Umar, who did not reveal the identities of those involved, stated this at a press conference shortly after swearing in 31 commissioners for oath from the Shariah Court of Appeal Division of the Bauchi State Judiciary, said the suspects resorted to using religion to achieve their aim by accusing her of appointing a Christian as the Chief Registrar in a bid to cover their tracks.

She stated, “The truth is that we now have very corrupt people in the judiciary, who have their personal forms, receipts and even stamps, and are using their boys to deprive the government of revenue and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

“What is happening now is a climax of irrevocable standing payment order granted by the then Chief Registrar of the High Court on June 23, 2009, years before I became the Chief Judge, which resulted in the judgment of the Federal High Court against the High Court of Justice of Bauchi State in favour of AMCON in suit no. FHC/BAU/CS/37/2017 delivered on December 8, 2020, prompting AMCON to garnishee the account of Bauchi State, which matter is still lingering in court.

“The staff members perpetrating these acts do so with the active connivance, support and encouragement of their godfather, who now resorts to using religious sentiment to cause disharmony between the High Court and the Sharia Court of Appeal. He is making frantic efforts to undermine the integrity of his own organisation using religious sentiment to deceive the general public to believe in his cause. That will not happen under my watch.”

The CJ added, “With each complaint against the nefarious activities of these disgruntled elements, I always direct the chief registrar to investigate and all the reports of the investigations always indict the perpetrators, which prompted hatred for the chief registrar. Such investigations are directives from me and not of his volition.