The Kano State High Court has set April 17, 2024, as the date for the arraignment of Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of the state, alongside his wife, son, and five others, in connection with bribery allegations.
Ganduje and his co-defendants are facing eight counts related to an alleged $413,000 bribery scandal, as well as accusations of diversion and misappropriation of funds amounting to N1.38 billion.
Previously, the Federal High Court in Kano ruled that the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission lacked jurisdiction to investigate Ganduje regarding a purported $5 million bribery video.
Justice Abdullahi Liman, delivering the judgment, deemed the alleged offence as a federal matter, suggesting that it falls within the purview of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Governor Abba Yusuf, however, urged the EFCC to disclose the outcome of its investigation into the alleged bribery video involving Ganduje, emphasizing that Ganduje should focus on his impending trial instead of criticizing the current administration.
In a writ of summon published by PUNCH Online, the Kano State Government filed a criminal suit against Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lesage General Enterprises, with 15 witnesses summoned to appear before the court.
The case is slated for April 17, 2024, before Justice Usman Na’aba of the state High Court Number Four.
Confirming the development, the state Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, affirmed that the case has been initiated, and all involved parties will be duly served.
“It is very true. We have filed the case, but I cannot confirm whether he is served or not, but he will definitely be served. What he (Ganduje) doesn’t understand is that you cannot run away from the evil day. It will definitely come to you, and this will even serve as a deterrent to all of us.
“He was saying that we can’t prosecute him forgetting that the offence also falls under the category of the state offences. It’s not totally a federal affair,” he said.
