Sokoto River Basin Director Jailed Six Years for Misuse of Public Funds

The Katsina State High Court has convicted and sentenced Mr. Rabiu Musa Matazu, Director of Administration at the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA), to six years in prison for diverting public funds for personal use.

The conviction was secured by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which had arraigned Matazu on a four-count charge of criminal breach of trust and abuse of office.

During the trial, which lasted three years, ICPC prosecutor Ibrahim Garba told the court that Matazu received ₦305,000 from a subordinate, proceeds from rent on SRRBDA properties in Katsina State, but failed to remit the funds to the agency’s account. Instead, he allegedly converted the money for personal use.

Delivering judgment, Justice Abbas Bawule found the defendant guilty on all counts. The court sentenced him to six months imprisonment or a fine of ₦20,000 on counts 1, 2, and 3, and five years imprisonment without an option of fine on the fourth count. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The ICPC said the conviction demonstrates its commitment to ensuring public office holders are accountable and that state resources are not diverted for personal gain.

The case follows other anti-graft actions, including investigations into payroll fraud where ghost workers and relatives of civil servants were discovered on government wage systems. The Commission reported recovering over ₦20 billion in pension deductions from salaries of ghost workers in 2024.