The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Mohammed Kumo before the Gombe State High Court over allegations of bribery and extortion.
The magistrate, who is facing three counts, was brought before trial judge H.H. Kereng.
According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the charges include allegations that Mr Kumo, while serving at the Chief Magistrate Court, accepted N1 million through a Zenith Bank account belonging to a court registrar, Adamu Ahmed.
In another count, the EFCC alleged that he received an additional N400,000 on or about November 11, 2024, through the same account.
The offences, according to the agency, contravene Section (a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 (CP-Act 2000).
Mr Kumo pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, asked the court to fix a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded at the Gombe State Correctional Centre.
However, defence counsel, Adamu Bawa, filed a bail application, which was opposed by the prosecution.
After listening to both parties, Justice Kereng granted the defendant interim bail, noting that Mr Kumo had earlier been granted administrative bail by the EFCC and had appeared in court from home.
The case was adjourned to January 13 and 14, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application and continuation of trial.
The case adds to the few instances where members of the judiciary are prosecuted, amid widespread public perception of corruption within the system.
In a landmark 2017 ruling, the Court of Appeal held that the EFCC “does not have the powers to investigate or prosecute serving judicial officers,” unless they have first been dismissed by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The case involved a serving judge, Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, in which the appellate court struck out 14 corruption charges against him—a decision later upheld by the Supreme Court.
