The Kano State Government has initiated new legal proceedings against Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of the state and current APC National Chairman, along with former Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan. The charges, filed under case No. K/143c/24 on Tuesday, accuse both individuals of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of funds, violating Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code (as amended) CAP 105, Vol. 2, Laws of Kano State.
The allegations detail financial misconduct involving a substantial sum of money, specifically ₦240 million. According to the charge sheet, Ganduje and Lawan allegedly conspired to misappropriate, divert, and convert the funds for personal use.
“The duo are standing trial for dishonestly, fraudulently, and without reasonable justification, in the abuse of their respective offices, conspired between themselves, misappropriated, diverted, and converted the sum of Two Hundred and Forty Million Naira (N240,000,000.00) to finance purely personal and private cases for their own personal and private benefit, thereby causing wrongful gain to themselves and wrongful loss to the Government and people of Kano State,” the charge sheet states.
The prosecution has indicated that it will present four witnesses to testify against the defendants. The charges further allege that Ganduje, during his tenure as governor, collaborated with Lawan, who initiated a memo requesting the release of funds ostensibly for civil litigation involving Kano State staff allegedly abused by the EFCC. However, the funds were purportedly used to secure an order preventing the EFCC from investigating bribery and corruption allegations against Ganduje.
Ganduje and Lawan face charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and criminal misappropriation, all in contravention of various sections of the Penal Code (as amended) CAP 105, Vol. 2, Laws of Kano State. The court has yet to set a date for the commencement of the trial.
This latest legal action adds to the series of legal challenges Ganduje and his associates have faced recently. In an earlier case, the court entered a not-guilty plea for Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and other defendants in absentia on an eight-count charge that includes allegations of bribery, misappropriation, and the division of public funds amounting to billions of Naira. These charges are contrary and punishable under Sections 97 and 315 of the Penal Code.
The Kano State High Court ruled last week that the trial of Ganduje and others accused of bribery and misappropriation will continue even in their absence. While no date has been fixed for the new arraignment, the state government remains committed to presenting its case with four witnesses prepared to testify.
