The Chief judge of a Kano State High Court, Justice Hafsat Yahaya Sani, has remanded the former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company, Alhaji Bala Muhammad Inuwa, and two others in prison custody over alleged fraud of N4 billion.
The two others are the ex-managing director’s son, Bala Muhammad Inuwa, and an incorporated trustee of the Association of Compassionate Friends.
This followed the arraignment of the defendants by the Kano State Government on Thursday before the court.
The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the alleged fraud, while the Office of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice filed the charges against them.
PCACC revealed that its investigation showed that the defendants diverted over N4 billion from the account of the state’s agricultural supply company into personal accounts.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Prof. Nasir Aliyu, argued that the defendants cannot be arraigned due to the non-availability of some facilities, including the defendant’s statements and list of witnesses.
Alyu told the court that without the facilities, it would amount to an impediment to the defendant’s constitutional rights to a fair hearing, in line with the Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019.
The court ruled that it was not enough ground not to take the plea of the defendants and asked that the charges be read to them.
After the 10-count charges, which included criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, false statement to cover up the transaction, and mismanagement of grant money, were read out.
In their pleadings, the defendants said they were not guilty of the charges read to them.
The defense counsel again made an oral plea, asking the court to allow the defendants to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by another high court on the matter.
However, the complainant’s counsel, Zaharadeen Kofar-Mata, argued that though they are not objecting to the bail, it should not be by oral pleading but by proper application before the court.
In her ruling, Justice Hafsat ordered the defence counsel to bring a bail application, which may be taken on Friday, Nov. 3, if the application is ready.
She ordered that the defendants be remanded.The court adjourned for hearing of the substantive suit for Dec. 6.
