The Kano State Government has initiated new fraud charges against Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of the state, along with his Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two additional individuals.
The charges, as detailed in the charge sheet, include criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, falsifying statements, and criminal misappropriation. Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai are accused of mismanaging the statutory allocations for 44 Local Governments, which were transferred to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.
The allegations also include the criminal diversion of N57.4 billion through various personal and corporate accounts associated with Local Government Cashiers. The state claims that these funds were converted into dollars for personal gain.
Additionally, the state alleges that they acquired several properties, including a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment in Akoya Oxygen, Dubai, a plot in Damac Heights, Marsa Dubai Marina, a multi-billion Naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja, and filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
The charge sheet indicates that 143 witnesses will be called to testify. A date for the hearing has yet to be set.
Earlier, on April 4, Kano State filed a lawsuit against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, including Ganduje’s son Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, and companies Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises, at the Kano High Court.
Additionally, on July 16, in case No. K/143c/24, the state charged Ganduje and former Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan, with criminal conspiracy and misappropriation, accusing them of abuse of office.
(NAN)
