Kano High Court dismisses bribery video against Ganduje

A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano, on Monday dismissed a suit filed by a Kano-based lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, alleging that Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje received a kickback from a Contractor, over lack of evidence.

In the legal action, Bukarti prayed the court to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe Governor Ganduje for allegedly receiving a kickback from a contractor.

It should be recalled that Bulama approached the court, seeking an order to compel the EFCC to provide a report of its forensic investigation analysis of the said video, allegedly showing Ganduje receiving a kickback from an unknown Contractor.

In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu submitted that, even though the affidavit he deposed to was not countered, it is deemed admitted, as the evidence therein must be cogent and verifiable.

Furthermore, the judge averred that the provisions of Freedom of Information Act 2011, required that information requested must be a public record and in the custody of the instruction of organization so requested from.

Justice Egwuatu, therefore, dismissed the case on the grounds that the evidence before the court did not establish that the EFCC has the record of the forensic analysis of the bribery video allegations, noting that the report ought to be given to the Kano state House of Assembly ad-hoc committee, constituted to investigate the allegations.