A Kano State High Court has struck out corruption charges against former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Sule Garo, and five others, citing serious procedural lapses and lack of jurisdiction.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji of High Court No. 15 on Tuesday, sitting on Miller Road in Kano, in a case marked Suit No. K/133c/2024.
The charges were filed by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission against Garo and other defendants, including Mohd Sule Garo, Mustapha Sule Garo, Isah Musa Kera, MJ Multipurpose Services Ltd., and A.U. Future Investment Ltd.
In his judgement, Justice Ma’aji identified two key issues for determination, whether the prosecution could proceed without a proper investigation and whether the commission had the legal authority to investigate corruption-related offences.
On the issue of investigation, the court held that prosecution without prior inquiry is legally untenable. The judge stressed that investigation is a basic requirement in any criminal proceeding.
“It is impossible to prosecute anybody for any crime without first conducting some form of investigation however slight,” the judge ruled, relying on provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.
He resolved the issue in favour of the defendants, noting that the prosecution failed to meet the minimum legal threshold.
On jurisdiction, the court ruled that the state anti-corruption commission lacked the authority to investigate corruption and financial crimes. Justice Ma’aji said such powers are governed by federal law and fall within the purview of agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
“I hold that the complainant herein cannot investigate any issue that borders on corruption or corrupt practices,” the judge stated.
Based on these findings, the court struck out the charges and discharged all the defendants.
Our sources reports the ruling is coming at the heel of intensified speculations that Garo may be nominated as Deputy Governor of Kano Statw, following the resignation of Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo from the position, after receiving strong backing from the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in the State and beyond
