A Deputy Director with the Sokoto State Scholarship Board (SSSB), Mohammad Yusuf, has been arraigned before the State High Court in Sokoto.

Yusuf was arraigned before Justice Muhammad Muhammad over alleged forgery on Thursday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

He was charged with three counts for allegedly signing and issuing forged scholarship sponsorship letters to three students who used the same to secure entry visas to the United Kingdom from the British High Commission in Abuja.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

ICPC’s prosecution counsel, Mashkur Salisu, told the court that the accused, who is serving as the Deputy Director in charge of International Student Matters of the SSSB, deliberately made a false statement to an officer of the British High Commission through the misleading documents.

According to him, the offence also contravenes Section 25(1)(b) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

One of the counts read, “That you Muhammad Buhari Yusuf on or about the month of September 2018 or thereabouts in Sokoto within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to cause damage to the public forged a scholarship sponsorship letter of the Sokoto State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 348 and punishable under Section 349 of the Sokoto Penal Code of Law, 2019.”

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.

The defence counsels, Nuhu Aminu and Faruk Abdullahi, then prayed the court to grant bail to their client on liberal terms.

Counsel to ICPC did not object to the bail application.

He, however, urged that the court grant the bail with reasonable sureties that would ensure the attendance of the accused at his trial.

Justice Muhammad, thereafter, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety who must be on Grade Level 15 in the Sokoto State Civil Service with landed property.

He also adjourned the case until March 12 for the commencement of hearing.