In what has become a topical issue on social media, a magistrate court in Kano State in Nigeria has ordered eight Sharia Court judges and seven Sharia Commission staff members to be remanded in prison custody for allegedly diverting N99 million belonging to orphans in the state.
Magistrate Mustapha Sa’ad Datti gave the order following charges of diverting N99 million instituted against the 15 persons before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
According to reports, Datti ordered that the defendants be kept behind bars pending the next sitting of the court.
NCNC gathered that the defendants include Gazzali Wada, Yusuf Abdullahi, Sani Ali, Bashir Baffa, Sani Uba Ali, Hadi Tijjani Mu’azu, Mustafah Bala, and Alkasim Abdullahi.
Others in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Center facility are Abdullahi Sulaiman Zango, Jaafar Ahmad, Bashir Ali Kurawa, Adamu Balarabe, Garba Yusuf, Aminu Abdulhadi, and Usaina Imam.
Official statement has it that the judges and the staff were accused of “conspiracy, betrayal of trust and theft of N99 million.”
Meanwhile, the defendants all pleaded not guilty to the charges. In view of this, the lead counsel for the plaintiff, Zaharaddin Kofar Mata, called for an adjournment to present substantial evidence before the court.
Contrary to a request by the counsel for the defendants to have their clients released on bail, the court declined to grant the application and ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.
Remarkably, the case was adjourned to 1 February 2023 to continue the hearing.
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