A Magistrate with the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Gombe State, Mohammed Suleiman Kumo, is now facing trial for allegedly receiving over N1.4 million in bribes channelled through a court registrar.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Kumo on Wednesday before Justice H.H. Kereng of the Gombe State High Court on a three-count charge bordering on extortion and unlawful monetary gratification.
According to the charge sheet filed by the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Directorate, Kumo is accused of receiving N1 million and another N400,000 through a Zenith Bank account belonging to a court registrar, Adamu Ahmed, in violation of Section 10(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The magistrate pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel Abubakar Aliyu asked the court to fix a date for trial and commit the defendant to the Gombe Correctional Centre. But Kumo’s lawyer, Adamu Bawa, applied for bail — a request the prosecution opposed.
Justice Kereng, however, granted the magistrate interim bail, noting that he had earlier been released by the EFCC and voluntarily appeared in court. The judge adjourned the matter to January 13 and 14, 2026, for ruling on the bail application and continuation of hearing.
