Desmond Mgboh, Kano

Kano State Public Complaints and Anti- Corruption Commission has again invited the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi to appear before it on Monday, March 9, 2020.

The commission, during a press briefing on Thursday said the monarch’s invitation was a sequel to an alleged violation of the provisions of Sections 22, 23, and 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission s Law (2008) in the management of the land reserved as ” Gundun Sarki” which is spread all over the state.

According to the chairman of the commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, their preliminary findings suggested that a company, Country Wide House Limited was used to launder the sum of N520 million, which was the proceed 20 hectares of land at Darmanawa 11

He alleged that some of the proceeds of the sales remitted to the account of the Emirate Council were traced to companies of interest to the Emir of Kano.

He also alleged that the Emir had, contrary to the decision of the Emirate Council at it’s meeting on June 8, 2016, ordered the payment of the sum of N175 million to Messer Apple Integrated Resources as facilitation fee for side and services provided at 33.4 hectares by Messers Cityscape Limited.

Muhuyi further alleged that following their investigation, it was discovered that “all the alleged illegal transactions for the sales of the landed properties at Darmanawa, Hotoro and Bubbugaje belonging to the Emirate was done by the trio if Shehu Mohammed Danjadi, (Sarkin Sanu), Sarki Abdullahi Ibrahim (Makaman Kano) and Mustapha Kawu Yahaya (Dan Isan Lapai) on the alleged instruction of His Highness, the Emir of Kano,” while adding that all of the persons had made statements which had necessitated the need to invite the Emir to clarify some issues.

The commission stressed that the present investigation, brought about by a whistleblower on the 29th of December 2019, was not related to an earlier investigation which was the subject of a civil suit.

He, however, acknowledged that they had received a letter from Messrs Dikko & Mahmoud drawing their attention to the fact that the powers of the commission to initiate criminal proceedings was being challenged in suit No. K/208/2019.

” They also, on behalf of their client, requested the postponement of the date to 25th March 2020 as well as some documents to allow their client prepare for the case in suit,” he stated.

He stated, however, they invited them to take note of the decision of the Court of Appeal which had settled the matter of the powers of the commission to investigate allegations of corruption against any person in the state.

Muhuyi disclosed that the commission also turned down their request to access some document as doing so might jeopardize their investigation.

He, however, assured that at the end of the investigation, the commission would make available their findings alongside the relevant documents.