Ex-Gov Shema’s move to stop alleged N11bn fraud trial at Supreme Court fails

Katsina State’s former Governor Ibrahim Shema has failed in his efforts to have the Supreme Court stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), from going ahead to prosecute him over alleged fraud of N11 billion.
The EFCC had preferred a 22-count charge bothering on alleged diversion of local government allocations amounting to N11 billion against Shema and some others before a Katsina State High Court.
But Shema and other defendants, Sani Hamisu Makana, Lawal Ahmad Safana and Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba, had run to the apex court praying it to stop the prosecution on the argument that the EFCC lacked the powers to try them under a law they said was enacted by the Katsina State government.
However, delivering judgment in the matter on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-man panel of Justices, sacked Shema’s application and ordered him to go and face his trial.
READ ALSO: AGF queries Magu over probe of 1.1bn Malabu oil scam, demands explanation
Justice Sidi Bage, who read the leading judgment, on the appeal marked SC/814c/2017, which Shema filed challenging the EFCC charges, dismissed the appeal on the submission that it lacked merit.
The panel then asked the former governor to return to his state High Court to answer charges preferred against him by the EFCC.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now