A Kano State High Court on Wednesday granted an order to serve Abdullahi Ganduje, chairman of the All Progressive Congress, with charges of alleged bribery and misappropriation.
The Kano State government has filed a case against Mr. Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and their son Umar Abdullahi, accusing them of eight counts of misappropriation and diversion of funds during his eight-year tenure as governor.
In addition to the Ganduje family, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited are also facing charges. They are collectively accused of bribery, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds totaling billions of naira.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu issued the order after an application by Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, representing the state government’s lead prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu.
Earlier, the 6th respondent counsel, Nureini Jimoh, SAN, had challenged the appearance of the led prosecution counsel, Adamu and his team on the ground that there is a fiat given to a specific person and only that person can appear in this case.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, he objected to the motion ex parte, seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means.
The prosecution counsel, Adamu, told the court that since his appearance has been challenged by the 6th respondent counsel, Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, he will move the application on motion ex parte.
”My Lord, Kofar-Mata has a fiat to appear in any matter concerning financial crime. I urge the court to allow us to move this motion,” he said.
Kofar-Mata moved the motion ex parte filed and dated May 29, supported by seven paragraphs seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means by publishing them in two national daily newspapers.
Adamu-Aliyu ordered parties involved to present their individual fiats to the court and adjourned the matter until July 11 for hearing.
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