By Abiola Olawale
There is fresh trouble for the family of the immediate past governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje, as the state government has slammed eight-count charges against them.
The Kano government in the eight-count charges accused Ganduje of collecting a $400,000 kickback from a contractor. The government also accused Ganduje of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation, diversion of public funds, and bribery, to the tune of N1.3 billion.
The suit, dated April 3, and filed by the counsel to the state government, Muhuyi Magaji, said the offence contravened Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Commission Commission Law 2008.
According to him, the charges were filed under the powers conferred upon the Attorney General of Kano State by Section 211 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 [as amended) and Sections 121[1], 126[b], and 377 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019.
The state said it had assembled 15 witnesses to testify against the defendants.
Some of the witnesses include forensic experts, security operatives, bank officials and contractors.
Also joined in the suit as defendants in the suit filed before the state high court are Ganduje’s wife, Hafsat, and his son, Umar.
Other defendants are Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
The charge sheet partly reads thus: “That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometimes between the period of January 10th, 2016 or there about, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State corruptly asked for and received the sum of $ 200,000 [Two Hundred Thousand United State Dollars]being benefit for yourself from one of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Kano State Government on your instruction and approval as part of your function as the Governor of Kano State thereby committed the offence of official corruption contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of T Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as: 4/12 No2 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period of February 10, 2017 or there about, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State agreed to do or caused to be done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly and/or corruptly to your own advantage collected a kick back of the sum of $ 213,000 (Two Hundred And Thirteen Thousand United State Dollars) being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contact and or project for the remodeling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent) thereby committed the offence of official corruption contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti- corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law No2 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant (Umar Abdullahi Umar) being your biological son using 6th defendant (Lamash Properties Ltd) a company owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 [five hundred and one] high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPD/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you being the Governor of Kano State from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) where it was sold and the proceed part of which the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. Domicile at Access Bank where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant to the detriment of the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family, conspire with the 4th defendant, Umar Abdullahi Umar, being your biological son using 6th defendant Lamash Properties Ltd a company substantially owned and or operated by members of your family, including the 4th defendant, and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit of all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPDA/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you as a governor of Kano state from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) which was sold and the proceeds, the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. 7816362026 Domicile at FCMB where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant thereby causing wrongful gain to yourself and causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and read together with section 79 and punishable under section 312 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.”
