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Court adjourns Shema’s case on alleged misuse of N10 billion

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie (Abuja) and Danjuma Michael (Katsina)
29 March 2017   |   4:27 am
Hearing on the alleged misappropriation of N10 billion public funds by the ex-Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema and three others has been adjourned till June 6 this year.

Former governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema

Suswam’s trial stalled over detention by DSS
Hearing on the alleged misappropriation of N10 billion public funds by the ex-Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema and three others has been adjourned till June 6 this year.

A Katsina State High Court presided by Justice Ibrahim Bako adjourned the case yesterday to allow for determination of an Appeal Court’s decision on a motion of stay of proceeding brought before it by Shema.

The other three are the former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Sani Makana, former permanent secretary in the ministry, Lawal Safana and the ex- Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria  (ALGON), Lawal Dankaba.

Meanwhile, the trial of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam and the Finance Commissioner under his administration, Omodachi Okolobia, was yesterday stalled due to the absence of the ex-governor.

Suswam and Okolobia are facing trial for allegedly defrauding Benue State government of N3.1 billion while in office.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defence counsel, Joseph Dawodu (SAN), told the court that his client, Suswam, has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since February.

In his reaction, the prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told the court that while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the agency prosecuting Suswam, he is however being held by the DSS. “They are two different agencies,” he stated.

Ruling, Justice R.A Mohammed noted that since the case is a criminal matter, it could not proceed in the absence of the first defendant. He consequently adjourned the matter till May 9.

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