Katsina Government Drops N11bn Fraud Suit Against Shema

The fraudulent case instituted against former Governor of Katsina State Ibrahim Shema has been dropped by the Katsina State Government.

The state government had accused Shema of misapprioprationg N11 billion Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) fund.

It would be recalled that in 2016, the state government and the EFCC sued Shema and others to court over alleged misappropriation of N11 billion ALGON funds.

The Director, Public Prosecution of Katsina State Ministry of Justice, Malam Abdulrahman Umar, told newsmen on Monday in Katsina that government has filed a nolle prosecute.

“This is the power of a state attorney-general under Section 211 of the 1999 constitution as (amended), to either institute an action on a criminal case against any person before any court of law.

“The attorney-general can take over any criminal proceedings against any person, as well as power to discontinue with any case at any stage of the proceeding before judgment is entered.

“The attorney-general exercised that power and we went with it and the court gladly accepted that position of the attorney general to discontinue with the case.

“To that effect, the former governor and Lawal Dankaba were discharged from all charges against them.

“That is the position of the state government at the moment. But the EFCC’s case is still ongoing” Umar said.

Shema has pleaded not guilty to 24-count charge filed against him by the EFCC which included criminal beach of trust, fraud, conspiracy and forgery, among others.

Shema is standing trial with Lawal Safana, Ibrahim Dankaba and Sani Makana who were alleged to have diverted local government funds amounting to over N11 billion during Shema’s administration as governor.