A High Court sitting in Kano State has taken jurisdiction in the case involving the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, after turning down his attempt to have fraud charges against him thrown out.
Ganduje, alongside seven other co-defendants, had approached the court to challenge its authority to preside over the case. However, the application was dismissed, clearing the way for the trial to continue.
The Kano State government had earlier filed an 11-count charge against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and other defendants. The allegations include bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and the diversion of public funds amounting to several billions of naira.
Also listed as defendants in the suit are Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
Delivering her ruling on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, dismissed the objections raised by the defendants, describing them as lacking merit and relying on established legal provisions.
According to the judge, the charges brought against the defendants on May 13, 2024, were legally acceptable for trial. Justice Aliyu also clarified that investigations into criminal matters are not exclusive to the police, stating that the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption agency equally holds the authority to probe such cases.
“The case should proceed to trial even in the absence of Ganduje and six others,” Justice Aliyu ruled.
The court also issued a summons for the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Limited, and fixed July 30 and July 31 for the commencement of hearing.
