The Kano State Government has filed new fraud charges against the former governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his Commissioner for Local Government Murtala Garo, and two others.
The charges, according to the charge sheet, include criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or returns, and criminal misappropriation.
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Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai are accused of mismanaging the statutory allocations from the 44 Local Governments, which were deposited into the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.
They are further accused of diverting ₦57.4 billion through various personal accounts of Local Government cashiers and other personal and corporate accounts. The state government also alleges that they converted these funds into dollars for personal gain.
Additionally, they are charged with acquiring a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai in Tigerwood, and a plot at 2201 Floor 22 Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina. The allegations also include the purchase of a multi-billion naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja, and several filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
The charge sheet indicates that the state plans to call 143 witnesses, though no date has yet been set for the proceedings.
On April 4, Kano State filed a separate lawsuit against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, including Ganduje’s son Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises.
On July 16, in case No. K/143c/24, the state government charged Ganduje and former Commissioner for Justice Musa Lawan with criminal conspiracy, misappropriation, and abuse of office.
