Court orders substituted service on Abdullahi Ganduje, others
By Jeffrey Agbo
Kano State High Court has given permission to the state government to serve a former governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, court papers via substituted means.
Ganduje is facing eight charges of bribery, misappropriation, and diversion of funds during his eight-year tenure in office.
Others charged with Ganduje are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, on Wednesday, gave the order for the substituted service on Ganduje and others following an application made to that effect by the counsel to the state government, Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, who stood in for the led prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu.
Earlier, the sixth respondent counsel, Nureini Jimoh, challenged the appearance of the led prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu and his team on the ground that there is a fiat given to a specific person and only that person can appear in this case.
He objected to the motion ex parte seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means.
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Adamu told the court that since his appearance has been challenged by the sixth respondent’s counsel, Kofar-Mata, will move the application on motion ex parte.
“My lord Kofar-Mata has a fiat to appear in any matter concerning financial crime. I urge the court to allow us move this motion,” he said.
Kofar-Mata moved the motion ex parte filed and dated May 29, supported by seven paragraphs seeking to serve the respondents through substituted means by publishing them in two national daily newspapers.
Justice Adamu-Aliyu ordered that all parties involved should present their individual fiats to the court. He adjourned the matter until July 11 for hearing.
