FINANCIAL CRIMES: Why Ganduje can’t be arraigned tomorrow
The highly anticipated arraignment of former Kano State governor, Abdullahu Umar Ganduje, may not hold tomorrow (Wednesday).
Ganduje is expected to be arraigned Wednesday over offences bothering on bribery and misappropriation of public funds.
But Wednesday’s arraignment is unlikely to take place as service of court processes on Ganduje was impossible because of his absence from the country.
READ ALSO:Â Ganduje arraignment, Kano government and presidency involvement
Ganduje has been in Saudi Arabia on lesser Hajj and is yet to be back.
Lack of service of the charges on him is a huge impedement that will stall his arraignment, as he is technically unaware of the case at the moment.
He is sure not to be in court, and he cannot be penalised for his absence if there’s no proof that he had been served with the charges.
If the lack of service continues beyond tomorrow, the case will continue to suffer adjournment until the service is effected on him.
READ ALSO:Â Ganduje, wife, son to be arraigned April 17
Nigerian Sketch has been told that the prosecution is likely to seek the leave of court to serve Ganduje in absentia, a procedure lawyers call ‘substituted service.’
A Kano-based legal practitioner who’s familiar with the case revealed that the prosecution will seek to serve Ganduje through newspapers in Nigeria, a service the court recognizes as efficient enough to notify him of the case even when he is out of the country.
Fresh charges
Meanwhile, the prosecuting agency in Ganduje’s case, the Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission (PCACC) has announced new corruption charges against the ex-governor.
The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday that further investigations have uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.
READ ALSO:Â Kano govt files criminal charges against Ganduje, wife, son, others
He alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023. He said the money was meant for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.
He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.
