The Kano State Government, on Thursday, arraigned a former Managing Director of the state’s Agricultural Supply Company, Bala Inuwa, his son, Bala Inuwa Jnr. and the Incorporated Trustees of Association of Compassionate Friends for alleged N4bn fraud.
The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice filed the charges against trio, sequel to investigations by the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The commission said its investigations revealed that the defendants diverted over N4bn from the account of the agricultural supply company into personal accounts.
The arraignment of the defendants followed the ruling of Justice Hafsat Yahaya of a Kano State High Court on Thursday.
The defendants’ counsel, Prof. Nasir Aliyu, had argued that his clients could not be arraigned because the prosecution had not furnished him with the statements of the defendants, the list of witnesses and other relevant documents.
He argued that proceeding with the arraignment without the document would breach his clients’ rights to a fair hearing.
However, the judge ruled that the issues raised by Aliyu were not enough to stop the defendants from taking their plea.
Upon their arraignment on 10 counts, the defendants pleaded not guilty.
The court adjourned till Friday to take their bail application. The judge, however, ordered that they should be remanded in prison until then.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.