Kano State High Court has fixed October 23 and 24, 2024, to commence trial of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; wife, Dr Hafsat Umar Ganduje, and six others. 
 
The court will also on the same date entertain preliminary objections on the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter against the defendants. 
 
Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu fixed the date yesterday while ruling on the applications filed by the prosecution against the immediate past Kano governor and seven others on a 10-count charge instituted the state’s anti-corruption commission.
 
In her ruling, Justice Aliyu granted the prosecution’s request to set the matter for hearing, having granted service of charge by substituted mean after several fruitless attempts by the court bailiff. 
 
Justice Aliyu, who refused to grant prosecution’s application for bench warrant against Ganduje, wife, son, and five defendants, however, ruled that the criminal trial will proceed in absentia, in the event of failure to appear. 
 
The presiding judge explained that the court was mindful of the fragile atmosphere in Kano, adding that granting warrant of arrest on the defendants at this material time might overheat the relative peace in the state. 
 
She also dismissed motion on notice of appeal and stay of execution filed by the six defendants for lack of evidence, noting that there was no record before the court to prove ingenuity of the notice. 
 
Ganduje, wife, and six others are facing criminal charges bordering on alleged bribery, diversion and misappropriation of funds running into billions of naira. 
 
The respondents in the matter are Ganduje (1st respondent), his wife, Hafsat (2nd respondent).
 
Others in the matter include Abubakar Bawuro (3rd respondent), Umar Abdullahi Umar (4th respondent), Jibrilla Muhammad (5th), Lamash Properties Limited (6th), Safari Textiles Ltd and Lesage General Enterprises as 7th and 8th respondents.

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