The Gombe State High Court in Gombe, the state capital, has convicted Khadijah Boss to four months’ imprisonment for bribery during the 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in a statement on Tuesday that Ms Boss was convicted and jailed on Monday, after facing trial on two counts of bribery during elections.
It alleged that the convict canvassed votes using bundles of fabrics within 300 metres of a polling unit during the elections, thereby committing an offence in violation of section 126 (1)(a), of the Electoral Act, 2022. The offence, according to the anti-graft agency, is punishable under section 121 (3), of the same Act.
Presenting the facts of the case during proceedings, EFCC counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, pointed out that the case was peculiar and first of its kind in the Gombe Zonal Command.
According to the statement, the trial judge, Abdulhamid Yakubu, convicted and sentenced Ms Boss to three months imprisonment with an option of N30,000 fine on count one, and one-month imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine. The judge ordered the sentence to run concurrently.
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“The court acknowledged and commended the Gombe Zonal Command and expressed hope that the conviction will bring sanity to the electoral processes,” the statement signed by EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, stated.
One of the charges against the convict read, “That you Khadijah Ibrahim Boss on or about 18th March 2023 in Gombe within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did canvass for votes using bundles of fabrics within 300 metres of a polling unit during the Governorship and State House of Assembly Election and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 126 (1)(a), of the Electoral Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 121 (3), of the same Act”.
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