The Kano State Government has filed new fraud charges against the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two others.
According to the charge sheet, Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai are facing charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or returns, and criminal misappropriation.
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The state government accuses them of mismanaging the statutory allocations of the 44 Local Governments, which were remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account. They are also accused of diverting ₦57.4 billion through various personal accounts of Local Government Cashiers and other personal and corporate accounts.
Furthermore, the state government alleges that the accused converted these funds into dollars for their personal benefit. It is also claimed that they acquired a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen, Dubai (Tigerwood and Plot 2201, Floor 22, Damac Heights, Marsa Dubai Marina), a multi-billion Naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja, and several filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
The charge sheet indicates that the state will call 143 witnesses to testify in the case. However, no date has been fixed for the hearing.
NAN reports that on April 4, the Kano government filed a lawsuit against Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and six others before the Kano High Court. The additional defendants include Ganduje’s son, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises.
NAN also reports that on July 16, in a charge sheet with case No. K/143c/24, the state government accused Ganduje and the former commissioner for justice, Musa Lawan, of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation. The Kano government further accused Ganduje and Lawan of abuse of office.
(NAN)
