Kano assembly halts probe of suspended anti-graft boss

The Kano State House of Assembly has halted the probe of Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, suspended Chairman of the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).

An ad-hoc committee of the assembly had in a letter, earlier this week, asked Rimin Gado to appear at 12noon on Wednesday.

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However, speaking with journalists at the end of plenary, the secretary of the ad-hoc committee, Abdullahi A. Bature, said the sitting would no longer go on as scheduled because the ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the petition against Rimin Gado received a letter from his (Rimin Gado’s) lawyer earlier on Wednesday.

Bature, who doubles as the Deputy Director, Legal Services of the assembly, explained that Rimin Gado said he was unable to attend the sitting on health ground and “they equally requested some documents from us which we are ready to oblige them.”

On the next sitting date, Bature said the committee will reply the letter sent by Rimin Gado and “in the letter we are going to send them whatever invitation, if there is need for us to sit again or if there is no need, we will still inform them. So, for now, I cannot pre-empt the decision of the committee.”

Rimin Gado’s lawyer, Usman Umar Fari, confirmed that his client was absent on health grounds but also because they need all the necessary facilities to prepare for their defence.

“Mr. Magaji was said to have been suspended on July 5 and no single document was served on him till date; he was not served with the letter of suspension, he was not served with a copy of the allegation against him.”

“The only document that we received was the letter dated July 12 from the committee inviting him to appear before the committee without indicating the name of neither the petitioner nor the allegation against him,” he said.

He added that the documents they are requesting from the committee are: “a certified true copy of the petition written against our client; certified true copy/extract of the House resolution/proceedings of July 5, 2021 concerning the issue under reference.”

He also demanded a certified true copy of the press releases issued by the assembly on July 5 and 7 which formed the basis of reports that Rimin Gado has been removed as chairman of the commission.

Fari said upon fulfilment of these requests, his client is ready to honour the invitation of the committee.

Daily Trust reports that while Rimin Gado was suspended for one month to give room for the Ad-hoc committee of the Assembly to investigate the petition against him.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has appointed the state’s Director for Public Prosecution, Mahmoud Balarabe, as acting chairman of the commission.

The assembly had based its decision on a petition from the state Accountant General which accused Rimin Gado of refusal to accept a chief accountant posted to the commission but reports said the anti-graft commission’s recent decision to investigate some projects in the state including a Cancer Centre and supply of diesel to the government house, ministries, departments and agencies had pitted him against some members of the first family.