Setback For Ganduje, Wife As Court Rejects Bid To Stop Corruption Trial

A Kano High Court has rejected Abdullahi Ganduje’s bid to stop his trial, affirming that the corruption charges brought against him are competent and must continue.

A Kano State High Court has rejected a request by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, to stop the court from hearing an 11-count corruption case against him and seven others.

The court, led by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, ruled on Tuesday that the motion was baseless and lacked merit.

Justice Aliyu stated that the court has full authority to handle the charges, which include bribery, conspiracy, embezzlement, and the misuse of public funds running into billions of naira. “The charges before this court are competent. 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,” she said.

The judge further ruled that the trial would continue even if Ganduje or any of the other accused persons failed to appear in court. She also summoned Lamash Properties Limited, the sixth defendant, and scheduled the next hearing for July 30 and 31.

Others listed in the case include Ganduje’s wife, Prof. Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Safari Textiles Limited, Lasage General Enterprises Limited, and Lamash Properties Limited. All are being accused of involvement in the alleged mismanagement and diversion of public funds.

Responding to the objections raised by the defence, the state’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), asked the court to throw out all the applications, calling them “deliberate attempts to frustrate the trial.” He argued that the claims had no legal basis and urged the court to continue with the case in the interest of justice.

The defence team, led by Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, had filed a motion on November 18, 2024, asking the court to dismiss the charges and stop the trial, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction. Similar objections had been filed earlier between September and October 2024 by other defence counsels, including Chief M. N. Duru, Mr. Muhammad Shehu, Mr. Abubakar Ahmad, and Mr. Faruk Asekome.

Despite these efforts, Justice Aliyu concluded, “None of the applications have merit. The case must proceed in line with due process.”

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