In a landmark win for judicial integrity, Gombe Magistrate Muhammad Suleiman Kumo has been handed a 30-month sentence for a ₦1 million bribery scandal. Presiding Judge H.H. Kereng delivered the verdict after Kumo admitted to the corruption charges, marking a swift end to the high – profile trial.
In a dramatic courtroom reversal, former Pantami Chief Magistrate Kumo was convicted on May 5, 2026, after trading his ‘not guilty’ plea for a confession. The conviction follows a decisive three-count prosecution led by the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Directorate.
However, in a stark breach of judicial ethics, evidence revealed that Kumo funneled a N1 million bribe through the Zenith Bank account of his own registrar, Adamu Ahmed, in late 2024. The court ruled this a clear violation of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws.
In addition to the prison term, Justice Kereng ordered Kumo to pay N500,000 in restitution to the EFCC to cover investigation and prosecution costs. The court also provided the convict with the option of a N250,000 fine in lieu of his custodial sentence.
Kumo’s legal troubles began when a bribery complaint from Abubakar Isa Jauro Kuna and Suleiman Haruna reached the Gombe State Ministry of Justice. At first, the former judge attempted to dodge the trial by questioning the court’s jurisdiction, insisting that only the Judicial Service Commission could hear charges against him.
EFCC Counsel Abubakar Aliyu dismantled this defense, citing constitutional provisions that keep magistrates within the reach of ordinary criminal courts.
Counsel Abubakar Aliyu successfully countered this defense, arguing that under Section 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution, a magistrate does not qualify as a ‘judicial officer’ entitled to immunity from ordinary trial.
Justice Kereng upheld the EFCC’s position in a decisive ruling on February 17, 2026, clearing the way for the criminal prosecution.
