The Kano State
Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has asked Muhammadu Sanusi II,
emir of Kano, to appear before it on Monday over fresh allegations on land
racketeering.
Addressing
journalists at his office on Thursday, Muhuyi Rimingado, chairman of the
commission, said Sanusi is expected to come on Monday over the allegation of
selling government property illegally.
A federal high court
in Kano had dismissed the preliminary report of the state anti-graft agency
which recommended the suspension of Sanusi, pending investigations into alleged
financial misappropriation of the emirate’s funds.
Rimingado, however,
explained that new probe had nothing to do with the previous one, adding that
the agency is empowered to open fresh investigation into any body found
wanting.
According to him,
Sanusi allegedly ordered the illegal sale of several hectares of land and that
“proceeds of the sales remitted to the emirate council bank account can be
traced to the companies of interest to His Highness”.
“I wish to
categorically state that, this commission is entering a new investigation
brought forward by a whistleblower on 29th December, 2019, and is not related
to an earlier investigation which is still subject matter of civil suit,”
Rimingado said.
“As we await the
arrival of the invitee, we received a letter from Messrs Dikko and Mahmoud
stating among other things that the power of this commission to initiate
criminal complaints is being challenged in suit No.K/208/2019.
“In response to
that, the commission drew the attention of the learned colleagues on the
binding decision of the court of appeal which affirmed the Kano State High
Courts decision that settled the power of this Commission to investigate
allegations of corruption against any person in the state as decided in the
case of Kano state public complaints and anti-corruption Commission & 1 IRS
V. Baba Salisu and 26 ors), 2019 LPELR 47107 CA.
“Preliminary
findings suggest that, a company; Country Wide House Ltd. served as a corporate
vehicle to allegedly launder the sun of over N2bn being proceed of several
hectares of land in Darmanawa phase I and II and Bubbugaji, under the former
right of occupancy CON-RESS 2016-503 illegally sold to Messer family home fund
limited at the alleged instance of His Highness the emir of Kano.
“Investigation
further reveals that, some of the proceeds of the sales remitted to the emirate
council bank account can be traced to the companies of interest to His
Highness.
“The commission also
acknowledged the right of the legal practitioners under the criminal justice
administration law to be present during the interview of their client
“But we remind them
on the legal duty imposed by law on their client to honour our invitation and
provide all necessary information as required and urged them to inform their
client to come forward on Monday 9th March, 2020.”
There has been a
face-off between Sanusi and Abdullahi Ganduje, the state governor.
Ganduje had created
four more emirates in Kano “to whittle down the influence of the emir” who
reportedly worked against the reelection of the governor.
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