Zamfara govt drags eight suspended lawmakers to court over alleged burglary

Zamfara State Government has filed a criminal case at the Magistrate Court sitting in Gusau against the eight suspended state lawmakers.

They are being accused of breaking into offices at the State House of Assembly and illegally searching for mace to perpetrate shady and unlawful plenary sitting.

The case was brought before the Chief Magistrate, Rukubatu Aliyu Kanoma.

The representative of the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, said the accused persons, on the 22nd day of February, 2024, forcefully broke into the office of Sergeant-at-Arms and the office of the Clerk to the House of Assembly and unlawfully made away with some valuable items not yet valued and a dumped mace.

The Commissioner of Justice gave the names of the accused lawmakers as Hon. Shamsudeen Hassan, Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara, Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi, Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi, Hon. Basiru Bello Bungudu, Hon. Amiru Ahmad Keta, Hon. Ibrahim T. Tukur, and Hon. Bashiru Abubakar.

According to the Attorney General, the charge against the accused persons was a direct Criminal Complaint brought pursuant to section 122 (A) AND 123(1) (C) of the Zamfara State administration of criminal justice LAW-2023.

“The complainants hereby apply for a warrant of arrest and or criminal summons be issued against the defendants,” he said.

The Counsel to the defendants 1, 2 and 3, Ibrahim Ali and a counsel to the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th defendants, Daniel Peter respectively, raised an objection that the court lacked the jurisdiction to handle the case.

The case was adjourned to 30th of May, 2024, during which the court will rule on whether it has jurisdiction or otherwise.