May 16, (THEWILL) – The Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, has transferred the case of alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds filed against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and seven others to another judge.
The case, which was before the Kano State High Court number 4 sitting at Audu Bako Secretariat and presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’abba, has now been transferred to Court 7 sitting at Miller Road under Justice Amina Adamu.
Confirming the development on Thursday, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State High Court, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, said, “The office of the CJ of the state has the power to direct and transfer a case at any stage so far it has not reached the level of judgement.”
Ganduje, his wife, son and five others were charged on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged bribery, diversion and misappropriation of funds, among others running into billions of Naira.
Aside from Ganduje and family members, other parties in the suit are Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd and Lesage General Enterprises.
The Kano State Government, in the criminal suit filed against the respondents, said it had assembled 15 witnesses to testify against them in eight count charges.
At the last adjourned date on April 29, 2024, the matter was scheduled for ruling on May 16 on the motion of substituted service, as the court has not been able to serve the defendants except the sixth defendant.
However, the State Chief Judge, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, transferred the case for a yet-to-be-known reason, and no date has been fixed for the continuation of the case.
Abdullahi Yusuf is a seasoned journalist, communicator and was previously the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Zonal Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Jos, where he retired on December 15, 2021