Court Clears Murtala Garo Of Kano Corruption Allegation

A High Court sitting on Miller Road in Kano State has cleansed Murtala Sule Garo, the former Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, by dismissing a corruption case labelled against him, and five others.

Sahara Reporters reports that the judge, Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji, ruled that the court dismissed the case numbered K/133c/2024 due to lack of due process and jurisdiction.

The case was filed by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) against Murtala Garo, Mohd Sule Garo, Mustapha Sule Garo, Isah Musa Kera, and MJ Multipurpose Services Ltd and A.U. Future Investment Ltd.

Reasons Why the Court Dismissed the Case:

The court based its judgment on two key issues that it asked both parties to address:

1. Can a Person Be Prosecuted Without Investigation?

Although the plaintiffs’ counsel explained that they summoned the suspects but they did not respond, the defendants’ counsel stated that the case had no basis in law.

In its judgment, the court said:

“It is never possible to prosecute a person without conducting some form of investigation, however minimal.”

The judge referred to the Criminal Procedure Code Act, 2019, which provides that a person must be investigated before being brought to trial.

2. Jurisdiction of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission:

The second issue concerns whether the PCACC has the power to investigate corruption-related crimes. The court applied the judgment of the Court of Appeal in a similar case in Bauchi State, which stated that any state law that conflicts with the EFCC’s national law on corruption is void.

Justice Ma’aji therefore stated:

“I hold that the plaintiff (PCACC) has no jurisdiction to investigate any matter relating to corruption or corrupt practices.”

Kano Politics and the Position of Deputy Governor

The judgment comes at a time when political speculations are rife that Murtala Sule Garo is being considered for the post of Deputy Governor of Kano State under the APC.

This follows the resignation of the former Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, on March 27, following the defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the NNPP to the APC. Sources confirmed that Garo was one of the three candidates nominated by the APC for the position of Deputy Governor.

It may be recalled that in August 2024, the state government filed fresh charges against former Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Murtala Garo, accusing them of embezzling over 57 billion Naira from the funds of the state’s 44 local government areas.

source: Sahara Reporters