Court postpones trial of Ganduje and seven others over alleged misappropriation until October 14

On Wednesday, the State High Court postponed the trial of former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje and seven co‑defendants accused of misappropriation, setting a new hearing date of 14 October.

Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat Umar, face an 11‑count indictment that includes allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of public funds totalling billions of naira.

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

During the hearing of all pending applications, the prosecution’s counsel, Mr Victor Oni, informed the court that the state was prepared to proceed.

Oni explained that the prosecution had filed a motion on notice dated 15 May 2026 and sought permission to withdraw an earlier motion dated 31 March 2026.

He requested that the court replace the earlier application with the one dated 15 May, accompanied by a counter‑affidavit and a new written address responding to the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection and application for a stay of proceedings.

Counsel for 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.

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

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

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

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

The presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu‑Aliyu, struck out the prosecution’s motion on notice dated 31 March 2026 and adjourned the case until 14 October for a hearing of the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.

(NAN)