The corruption trial of a former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shehu Shema could not resume today October 24 at the Katsina State High Court as the defendant through his counsel informed the court that he had approached the Supreme Court to upturn the Court of Appeal decision which threw out his application challenging the competence of the charge against him.
Shema is being prosecuted alongside three others, Sani Hamisu Makana, Lawal Ahmad Safana and Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, for allegedly diverting public funds to the tune of over Eleven Billion Naira to their personal use during his tenure as governor of Katsina State.
The accused persons had urged the court to quash the charge and set them free, payers that were refused by the court. On March 28, 2017 when the matter came up for hearing, the court was informed by counsel representing the accused persons that his clients had filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, challenging the ruling delivered by the trial court in respect of the motion to quash the charge.
The Court of Appeal on May 25, 2017, reserved judgment for November 9, 2017 after arguments by counsel. But the ruling was surprisingly delivered on September 13, 2017 with the appellate court upholding the ruling of the lower court. Consequently, a new date of October 24 was fixed for the trial to recommence at the lower court.
When the case was called today, counsel representing the accused persons, A..T Kehinde, SAN informed the court that his clients in the exercise of their constitutional rights, have approached the Supreme Court, to set aside the ruling of the lower courts in respect of the motion to quash the charge against them.
“In the circumstance, I will humbly apply that the matter be adjourned sine die so that all pending applications before the Supreme Court can be taken”. He said.
Justice Bako however adjourned the matter to February 13, 2018 for report on the supreme court decision.
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