Just-In: Arraignment of Ganduje, wife, 6 others stalls over failure to serve documents

The Kano State Government’s incapacity to serve Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje with court documents have stalled the arraignment of the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Chairman on Wednesday.

Ganduje, alongside his wife, Hafsat, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited were to be arraigned eight counts of bribery, misappropriation and diversion of public funds running into billions of Naira.

When the case was mentioned for arraignment, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Y A Adamu, told the court that all attempts made to serve the respondents, failed.

“My lord we were only able to serve the 6th defendant Lamash Properties Limited,” he said.

The prosecution attempted to move an ex parte application seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means.

Counsel to the 6th defendant, Nureini Jimoh, SAN, told the court that the prosecution did not personally serve his client.

“There is no provision for ex parte motion in a criminal matter, it is only valid in civil cases,” he argued.

He raised an objected to the motion ex parte by the prosecution seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means.

Justice Usman Na’abba, said that the respondents should be put on notice and adjourned the matter until April 29, for hearing of the motion on notice.