Embezzlement claims: Hearing for Ganduje and 7 co-defendants postponed to October 14

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Ganduje

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The trial of former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje and seven others over alleged misappropriation suffered a setback on Wednesday as the State High Court adjourned the case until Oct. 14.

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Ganduje is standing trial alongside his wife, Hafsat Umar, on an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.

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Other defendants in the suit are Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.

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When the case came up for hearing of all pending applications, counsel to the prosecution, Mr Victor Oni, told the court that the state was ready to proceed.

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Oni told the court that the prosecution had filed a motion on notice dated May 15, 2026, and sought leave to withdraw an earlier motion dated March 31, 2026.

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He urged the court to substitute the earlier application with the one dated May 15, accompanied by a counter affidavit and a fresh written address in response to the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection and application for stay of proceedings.

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Counsel to Ganduje, his wife and son, Mrs Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, told the court that the defence was ready to proceed and had no objection to the prosecution’s application.

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Oluwakemi-Oyewo, who held brief for Chief M.N. Duru, SAN, counsel to the third and seventh defendants, also raised no objection to the prosecution’s request.

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Similarly, counsel to the fifth defendant, Mr Muhammad Shehu, said he was ready to proceed.

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Counsel to the sixth defendant, Mr Abubakar Ahmad, informed the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection, counter affidavit and written address, and consequently sought a date for hearing of the application.

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Counsel to the eighth defendant, Mr Abdulrazaq A. Ahmed, also told the court that he was ready to proceed.

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The presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, subsequently struck out the prosecution’s motion on notice dated March 31, 2026.

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She thereafter adjourned the case until Oct. 14 for hearing of the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.

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(NAN)

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