The court was firm in its stance. “None of the applications have merit. The case must proceed in line with due process.”
Alleged Bribery: Kano Court Dismisses Ganduje’s Attempt to Halt Corruption Trial
A Kano State High Court on Tuesday rejected a motion filed by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, seeking to stop his trial on an 11-count corruption charge.
Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, who presided over the case, ruled that the preliminary objections filed by Ganduje—a former governor of Kano State—and his co-defendants were “incompetent” and without merit. She affirmed the court’s jurisdiction to proceed with the trial, which involves serious allegations including bribery, conspiracy, and the misappropriation and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.
“The charges before this court are competent,” Justice Aliyu stated. “The power to investigate criminal matters does not reside solely with the police. The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission is equally empowered under the law.”
The judge further ruled that the trial would go on regardless of the presence of Ganduje and six other defendants. She also issued a summons to the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Limited, and adjourned the case to July 30 and 31 for continuation.
Other defendants in the case include Ganduje’s wife, Prof. Hafsat Umar, and individuals and entities such as Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Safari Textiles Limited, Lasage General Enterprises Limited, and Lamash Properties Limited.
Lead counsel for the prosecution, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, urged the court to dismiss all the preliminary objections, labeling them as “deliberate attempts to frustrate the trial.” He stated, “The objections lack legal foundation. We urged the court to allow justice to take its full course.”
Ganduje’s legal team, led by Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, filed a motion dated November 18, 2024, arguing the court lacked jurisdiction. Similar objections were filed between September and October 2024 by counsels for other defendants, including Chief M. N. Duru, SAN, Mr. Muhammad Shehu, Mr. Abubakar Ahmad, and Mr. Faruk Asekome.
However, the court was firm in its stance. “None of the applications have merit. The case must proceed in line with due process,” Justice Aliyu concluded. Read More
