Justice Maikaita Ibrahim Bako of Katsina State High Court has said the motion for stay of proceedings pending before the Court of Appeal will not affect the continuation of the trial of former Governor of Katsina state, Ibrahim Shehu Shema and three others.
Shema, who was governor of the state between 2007 and 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being tried alongside three others, namely Sani Makana, Lawal Safana and Ibrahim Dankaba over alleged embezzlement of N11 billion belonging to the 34 local government areas of the state.
A seven-man commission of inquiry led by Justice Muhammed Sirajo had accused Shema’s administration of the alleged embezzlement of local government funds.
During the proceedings yesterday, counsel to Shema, Adedayo Adedeji, informed the court of a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, over the ruling of June 12th and July 9th, 2018, where the court admitted in evidence exhibits 2 and 3 despite the objection to the admissibility of the said documents.
Adedeji told the trial Judge that his client, being dissatisfied with the ruling of the court, challenged the decision, adding that both the motion for stay of proceedings and the substantive appeal have been fixed for October 22, 2018 for hearing at Court of Appeal.
He urged the court to wait for the decision of the appeal court in line with the provision of the law, since the subject matter is the trial of the accused.
The prosecution counsel, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), urged the trial Judge to discountenance the application of the accused and proceed with the trial, explaining that the submission of the accused counsel is an attempt to delay the trial.
At the last adjourned date, the author of the said document which is subject of contention, Alhaji Ibrahim Dabo Bujawa, in his testimony had told the court that he did not see the appropriation laws of the state between 2012 to 2014 before his committee came up with a report indicting the former governor.
The committee was expected to investigate the loss of government funds and property between 2012 and 2014.
Apart from the report of the committee that was brought to the court, none of the primary evidence was shown to the court to substantiate the allegation of the witness.
The court later adjourned to the 16th October, 2018 for continuation of trial.
