Kano Gov’t files fresh N57.4 billion fraud charges against ex-Governor Ganduje, others

The Kano State Government has initiated separate legal proceedings against former governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, now the APC National Chairman, his former Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sule Garo, and two others.

This new charge includes allegations of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements, and criminal misappropriation.

According to the four-count charge sheet No.K/148c/24, the accused are alleged to have been entrusted with the receipt and management of the statutory allocations for the 44 Local Governments, which are typically remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.

They were alleged to have unlawfully and criminally diverted the total sum of Fifty Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Thirty Three Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixteen Naira (N57,433,981,816.00) through several personal accounts of Local Government’s Cashiers and other Personal and Corporate Accounts.

The state government also accused them of transforming the funds into cash of United State Dollars and Nigerian Naira which they allegedly criminally appropriated for personal benefits out of which they fraudulently used the proceed, converted same into acquiring properties worth Billions of Naira, including Kano Cotton Ginnery at Challawa Kano City, 200 hundred bed capacity Hotel at Badawa Nassarawa Local Government Area, Kano.

They were also accused of using the proceed to acquire a Service apartment at Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai, in Tigerwood and plot 2201 Floor 22 Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina, A Multi Billion Naira Hotel at Jabi, Abuja.

Others are: filling station at Gwarzo Road, Kano, filling station at Eastern Bypass Kano for their own personal benefit causing wrongful gain for themselves and wrongful loss to the good people of the State, and the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.

According to the charge sheet,t he prosecution will at the trial of the Defendants adduce evidence to show that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants have used their offices in betrayal of their official trust between the period of 2020 to 2023 for self-enrichment,

It said 143 witnesses will be presented during the trial which is expected to commence soon.