Masari withdraws N11 billion fraud case against Katsina’s ex-Governor Shema

Governor Aminu Masari’s government has withdrawn a misappropriation of N11 billion Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) fund case against Katsina’s ex-Governor Ibrahim Shema.

In 2016, the Katsina government and the EFCC sued Mr Shema and others over alleged misappropriation of N11 billion ALGON funds.

Malam Abdulrahman Umar, Katsina’s director of public prosecution, disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Katsina.

“The state government 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,” he explained. “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.”

Mr Umar added, “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.”

Mr Shema had pleaded not guilty to 24-count charge filed against him by the EFCC. The anti-graft agency had instituted the charge against him, which bordered on criminal beach of trust, fraud, conspiracy, forgery, etc.

Mr Shema stood trial with three others (Lawal  Safana, Ibrahim  Dankaba and Sani Makana) who were members of his defunct administration.