KANO – A State High Court 7, sitting at Miller Road, has granted an order for substituted service on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, in connection with an alleged sale of government properties worth billions of naira.
The presiding judge, Justice Aminu Adamu Aliyu, issued the order following intense legal arguments between counsels for both the applicants and defendants. The legal teams, led by Nuraini Jimoh SAN and Barrister Zaharadeen Kofar Mata, include Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Ganduje, Lamash Properties, and other defendants.
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Previously, the State Chief Judge, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, had transferred the corruption case involving Ganduje and seven others from Kano High Court 4, presided over by Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, to Court 7, now presided over by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu.
Ganduje, his wife, son, and five others face an eight-count charge, including allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds amounting to billions of naira. Besides Ganduje and his family members, other parties named in the suit include Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.
The Kano State Government, which filed the criminal suit against the respondents, stated that it has assembled 15 witnesses to testify against them on the eight-count charge.
During the latest hearing, the prosecution counsel, Barrister Zaharadeen Kofar Mata, requested substituted service due to difficulties in serving the defendants directly. Justice Aminu Adamu Aliyu granted the order, allowing Ganduje, his wife, and others to be served through placement in national dailies, Daily Post reports.
The judge adjourned the case to July 11th for the counsels to address the court on their evidence of appearances and for a continuation of the hearing.
