Several senior Nigerian court officials have been dragged to court to answer to charges of heinous crimes against them.
The Federal government has, on Thursday, brought forgery charges against three Supreme Court officials.
According to Premium Times, the officials, including the court’s Chief Registrar, are accused of N2.2 billion fraud.
The charges, filed on October 3 at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory by the Attorney General of the Federation, also contain allegations of bribe amounting to tens of millions of naira.
According to the charge, the defendants, Ahmed Saleh, Muhammed Sharif, and Rilwanu Lawal diverted N2. 2 billion belonging to the Supreme Court to their personal bank account at the United Bank for Africa, with account number: 2027642863.
Mr. Saleh is the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court.
He had been pencilled down as the next Secretary of the National Judicial Council, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Mr. Saleh, who is from Hadejia, in Jigawa State, graduated from both Bayero University in Kano and Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
He and the other two suspects were also accused of collecting tens of millions of naira as gratification contrary to the provisions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act.
Count one deals with allegations of conspiracy.
In the charge, the defendants were said to have recieved N2. 2 billion, and transfered same to their UBA account, between 2009 to 2016.
Count two contains allegations of a breach of trust.
Count three says the defendants received N10 million from a company, Willsdave Limited, a private contractor to the Supreme Court.
In count four, the officers are also accused collecting N6 million as bribe.
The defendants were also accused of collecting N16 million from a company, Dean Musa Nigeria Limited, as gratification in 2015.
Count Eight says the officials received N19 million from Ababia venture limited, between 2009 to 2016.
Count Nine says they took also N21 million bribe money from MBR computers limited, between 2009 to 2016.
Some of the charges suggest the bribes could have been received to influence the award of contracts at the top court.
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