A Federal High Court in Kano has restrained Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission from investigating Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi ll.
Emir Sanusi dragged the commission to court and sought for an order to restrain it from investigating him over alleged land racketeering to the tune of N2. 2bn.
Other parties in the suit include, Kano state Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Chairman of Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado and the state Attorney General, Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar.
The commission had on Thursday insisted that it would investigate Emir Sanusi over alleged sale of landed properties belonging to Kano emirate.
Chairman of the commission, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, during a press conference on Thursday, said the commission had extended an invitation to the emir to appear before it on Monday, March 9, 2020 by 10:00am.
However, solicitors to the emir, Dikko & Mahmoud in its suit prayed for an interim injunction from the Court, restraining the commission from investigating the first class traditional ruler.
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The presiding judge, Justice Lewis Allagoa ordered the commission and its Chairman, Barrister Rimingado to maintain the status quo in the interim pending the determination of the case filed before it by the emir.
The order, dated March 6, 202 and signed by Justice Allagoa, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Trust reads in parts: “The status quo be maintained in the interim pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion”.
Justice Allagoa then adjourned the case till March 18, 2020 for hearing.
The emir in his prayers, requested for an interim injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd respondents (Commission and its Chairman) from investigating the affairs of the applicant pending the hearing of the originating motion.
An order of interim injunction for the maintenance of the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.
Contacted, Barrister Rimingado said the commission would honour the court by appearing before it on March 18, 2020.
“The commission will ask the court of law to compel the emir to appear before it. Because as far as the commission is concerned, the court did not stop it from continuing with its investigation. The status quo is subject to interpretation,” he said
The governor of the state has been at loggerhead with Emir Sanusi and many see the fresh probe as a continuation of the initial crisis that led to the creation of additional four new emirates in the state.
This is not the first time the emir and the Kano Emirate are coming under probe since Malam Muhammadu Sanusi ll, ascended the throne in 2014.
The Kano anti-graft agency investigated the emir over what it called “questionable” expenditure to the tune of N 4 billion but the probe was later suspended.
It could be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Kano had last month quashed the report of the commission that indicted the Emir over an allegation of N3.4 billion fraud from the Emirate Council fund.
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