The Kano government has filed an eight count criminal charges against the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, for allegedly collecting a $400,000 kickback from a contractor.
The government also accused Mr Ganduje of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation, diversion of public funds, and bribery, to the tune of N1.3billion.
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 by virtue of 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.
The defendants in the suit filed before the state high court are Mr 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,“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.