The trial of Nasiru Salisu Ingawa, a former Special Adviser on SURE-P
Department to former Governor of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shema, and
three other officials of the state government being prosecuted over
N5.7 billion has been struck out by Justice Maikaita Bako of the state
High Court.
At the last adjourned date, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Justice, Mr. Abdulsalam Sabiu, told the court that the state that the
Attorney-General of the Federation had already received the case file
from the ICPC, but that his absence delayed the hand-over of the case
file to the state.
Others standing trial alongside Ingawa were the Director of Finance
and Account state SURE-P Department, Abdulazeez Abdullahi Shinkafi,
and the Chief Stores Officer in the Civil Service, Bello Ibrahim
Bindawa.
At yesterday’s trial, the state government’s counsel, Mr. A. A.
Ibrahim, told the court that the case should be adjourned indefinitely
over the delay in getting the case file from the ICPC.
“My lord, the case cannot go on today because we are still not in
possession of the case file. We have not been given the case file by
the ICPC. We apply to adjourn this case sine die till we get the case
file,” Ibrahim said.
Counsel to the accused persons, Mr. Salihu Yerima, did not object to
the application of the prosecution counsel.
“My lord, I leave the decision on the application of the prosecution
to the discretion of the court,” he said.
The trial judge, in a short ruling, said the appropriate order to make
was to terminate the case and discharge the accused persons.
According to him, the accused persons will be re-arraigned once the
state government is ready with the case file.
