A Kano State High Court has granted an order to serve the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and son, Umar Abdullahi, with bribery and misappropriation charges.
The Kano State Government had filed an eight-count charge against Ganduje, his family members, and several others, including Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, and three companies – Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
The charges allege misappropriation and diversion of public funds totalling billions of Naira during Ganduje’s eight-year tenure as Governor of Kano State.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu granted the order following an application by the state government’s counsel, Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, who sought to serve the respondents through substituted means, including publication in two national daily newspapers.
The matter took a twist when the 6th respondent’s counsel, Nureini Jimoh, SAN, challenged the appearance of the prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu, and his team, citing a fiat issued to a specific person.
According to the counsel, only that person can appear in this case.
However, the prosecution counsel argued that Kofar-Mata had a fiat to appear in any matter concerning financial crimes.
The court adjourned the matter until July 11 for hearing and ordered all parties to present their fiat to the court.
