because while the 1st Defendant speaks and understand English language, the 2nd Defendant speaks and understands Hausa language. After the charges were read and explained to the Defendants, the 1st Defendant pleaded not guilty to all the two (2) charges while the 2nd Defendant pleaded guilty to all the two (2) counts charges, but because of the nature of the amount of the money involved coupled with the substance of the proofs of evidence attached to the charges, the Court in exercise of its discretion under Section 273(2) of the ACJL of Sokoto State, 2019, ordered the case to be proceeded into full trial in the interest of justice with a view to have evidence that will substantially establish the extent of the 2nd Defendant’s culpability in the crimes alleged against them. Consequently, the Court decided not to convict the 2nd Defendant summarily. The two (2) counts charges with which the Defendants were arraigned before this Court, are hereby reproduced below as follows:COUNT 1 That you Bashar Garba (M) and Kabiru Bello (M) between the months March to June, 2017 or thereabout at Sokoto within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court while being public officers serving as Accountant Salary and Finance Officer of the Sokoto South Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) respectively, did conspire to commit an offence of conferring corrupt advantage upon yourselves to wit converting to your personal use the salaries of Twenty Two (22) staff members of Sokoto South LGEA to the tune of N563,145.30 (Five Hundred and Sixty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Five Naira Thirty Kobo) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1)(c) and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2020. 2