From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State High Court, presided by Justice Hafsat Yahaya Sani, has remanded the former Managing Director of KASCO, Bala Inuwa Mohammed and his son Bala Inuwa Muhammed (Jnr) in custody.
The duo were accused of misappropriation of N3.2 billion belonging to the Kano State government during the immediate past administration.
Accordinhg to their charges, between August 2020 and April 2023, Bala Inuwa Muhammed, alongside his son and the Incorporated Trustees of Associate of Compassionate Friend, unlawfully misappropriated the sum of N3,275,685,742.00 from the state.
The money, according to the charge, was originally disbursed to the Kano State Government as a grant from the Federal Government and was extended to KASCO, where Bala Inuwa Muhammed was serving as the Managing Director.
The charge further alleged that the action of the defendants caused significant financial harm to the hovernment and people of Kano State
During their arraignment, both Bala Inuwa Muhammed and his son pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
The defense counsel, Professor Nasir Adamu Aliyu, SAN, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on self-recognition, while drawing thr attention of the court to their consistent attendance at the trial proceedings.
However, the prosecution counsel Barrister Zaharaddeen Hamisu Kofar Mata, objected to the bail request.
In her ruling, Justice Hafsat Yahaya denied the defense’s request to grant immediate bail, stating that a formal bail application needed to be presented.
Consequently, she ordered the remand of the defendants until the defense counsel, Professor Nasir Adamu Aliyu SAN, presents a formal bail application to the court.
The case was adjourned to December 6, 2023, for hearing.