A KANO State High Court on Thursday granted former Managing Director of KASCO, standing trial over alleged diversion of N4bn, Bala Inuwa Muhammad and two others N500m and two sureties who are expected to be people with up-to-date tax clearance.
This newspaper reports that the former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Company, KASCO, Bala Inuwa Muhammad is accused of diverting over N4bn together with Bala Inuwa Muhammad Junior and Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Compassionate Friends.
The charges were filed against them by the office of the state’s Attorney-General, following investigations by the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).
The PCACC disclosed that its investigations revealed that the defendants diverted over N4 billion from the account of the state’s agricultural supply company into personal accounts.
The anti-corruption commission alleged in the charges filed on 3 August, that Mr Muhammed and his son, Bala Muhammed (Junior), his organization – the Association of Compassionate Friends – and two others diverted over N4 billion in public funds.
The Application dated August 3, 2023 and signed by Assistant Director, Kano State Ministry of Justice, Salisu M. Tahir (ESQ) and Principal State Counsel, Kano State Ministry of Justice, Zaharaddeen H. K/Mata (ESQ), recalled that: “Sometime in the month of August, 2022 to 3rd April, 2023 or thereabout the sum of N4,67,290,742.00 (Four Billion, Sixty Seven Million, Seven Hundred And Forty Two Naira) only were credited into Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd’s ( KASCO) Account No. 1014477161 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc and Unity Bank Account No. 0005195864 from Kano State Federal Allocation Account No. 4968083012 domiciled in FCMB within Kano Judicial Division all in the name of grant, but you dishonestly misappropriated and converted the whole sum belonging to Kano State Government meant for grant to the State owned Company (KASCO) to other accounts including your personal accounts, you thereby committed an offence under section 308 punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code Law.”
The Application further stated that the First Defendant, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, a former Managing Director of KASCO, unlawfully transferred the sum of N20,000.000.00 into the personal account of one Mr. Mu’azu Shehu Ahmad domicile in FCMB with Account No. 9227966015 from the KASCO Account No. 1014477161 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc within Kano Judicial Division.
He was also accused of dishonestly misappropriated and converted the said sum belonging to Kano State Government meant for grant to a State-owned Company, thereby committed an offence under Section 308 of the Penal Code punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Law.
Bala Inuwa Muhammed, a former Managing Director of KASCO was also accused of unlawfully diverted and transferred the sum of N78, 605,000:00k to one Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro through an account of a business name STL Enterprises with account number 7085982019 domicile in FCMB under the false pretence of supplying 190065.125 unit of Dolomite material which is not meant to be and was never supplied;and thereafter made false return with goods received note No.2659.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended),” it added.
“That you, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, male, adult being a former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. (KASCO) unlawfully transferred the sum of N30,000.000.00 (Thirty Million Naira) only into the cooperate Account of incorporated trustees of Ganduje Foundation domicile in FCMB with Account No. 1176213017 within Kano Judicial Division you dishonestly misappropriated and converted the said sum belonging to Kano State Government meant for Subsidy on Fertilizer.
“You thereby committed an offence under section 308 punishable under section 309 of the Penal Code Law
“That you, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, male, adult being a former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. (KASCO) and a Founder of Incorporated Trustees of Association of Compassionate Friends (5th Defendants) transaction.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended),” the Application stated.
“That you, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, male, adult being a former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. (KASCO) and a Founder of Incorporated Trustees of Association of Compassionate Friends (5th Defendants) and signatory to both KASCO and the 5th Defendant, sometime in the month of August 2022 to 3rd April 2023 or thereabout the sum of N3,275,685,742.00 (Three Billion, Two Hundred And Seventy-Five Million, Six hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Seven Hundred And Forty Two Naira) only were credited into Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd’s (KASCO) Account No. 1014477161 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc and Unity Bank Account No. 0005195864 from Kano State Federal Allocation Account No. 4968083012. domiciled in FCMB within Kano Judicial Division in the name of grant to the state-owned company and thereafter you diverted the said sum into the 5th Defendant’s Account No. 1011994467 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc, and you criminally conspired with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Defendants and transferred the said sum into different accounts belonging to, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Defendants and your Personal Bank Account without any justifiable reason.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code and punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code Law.”
The former KASCO Managing Director was also accused of co-opting some staff of KASCO into the racket and illegally transferred various sums of money into their accounts at different times.
“That you, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, male, adult being a former Managing Director of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. (KASCO) and being an officer in the public service of Kano State, on or before 24th October 2022 while attempting to convince the staff of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. (KASCO) to make false statement in covering your wrongdoing, transferred the sum fifteen million naira only (15, 500,000:00k) to the personal account of the following staff:
“Abdullahi Ibrahim, N200, 000; Aminu Sadik, N100, 000; Aminu Fagge, N100, 000; Umar Alhassan, N500,000:00; Surajo Lawman, N500, 000; Safiyanu Sakuwa, N200, 000; Nura Yusuf, N500,000:00; Muhammad Najib Lawman, N5,000,000:00.”
At the court sitting on Thursday, Justice Hafsat Yahaya Sani while admitting the defendants to bail, said that both sureties must swear to an affidavit of means, showing gainful employment or engagement and they shall support the affidavit with documents showing an ongoing registered business, office address, residential addresses of each of the sureties.
According to her, the bail was granted sequel to a motion on notice dated November, 2nd, 2023, and filed on the same date by Counsel to the defendants /Applicants Prof. Nasiru Adamu Aliyu praying for an order admitting the Defendants/Applicants to bail.