has charged a former Managing Director of the state’s Agricultural Supply Company, , Bala Muhammad, with over N4 billion fraud.The charges were filed against them by the office of the state’s Attorney-General, following investigations by the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission .
The case was first mentioned in court on 6 August. It was further transferred to another judge of the Kano State High Court, Hafsat Sani.After it was mentioned before Mrs Sani, Mr Muhammed and his co-defendants filed a notice of preliminary objection on 14 August to challenge the jurisdiction of the court.
The government noted that after investigation, the commission referred the matter to the Attorney General of Kano State who has the power to file charges against any person in Kano State.The court, in its ruling, held that PCACC has the power to investigate arrest and refer the matter to the Attorney General for prosecution. The court dismissed the preliminary objection for lacking in merit.
“Against all these backgrounds, I hold that this court has the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine suit No K/154C/2023 between the state and Bala Inuwa Muhammed and four others. Specifically, the prosecution alleged in the first count that Mr Muhammed transferred over N3.2 billion from the account of KASCO and the Kano State Federal Allocation Account in the name of grant to KASCO.
The prosecution also alleged that Mr Muhammed while trying to conceal his act, shared N15 million with eight officials of the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd from the company’s account into their account. The offence, described as involving corrupt offers to the public officers is said to be contrary to section 23 of Public Complainants and anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 and punishable under the same section.