Kano assembly halts probe of suspended anti-graft boss

Kano State House of Assembly has halted its probe of the suspended Chairman of the state’s Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.

An ad-hoc committee of the assembly had, in a letter earlier this week, asked the suspended chairman to appear before it on Wednesday at noon.

However, speaking with journalists after plenary yesterday, the secretary of the Ad-hoc Committee, Abdullahi A. Bature, said the sitting would no longer go ahead as scheduled because the panel set up to investigate the petition against Rimingado received a letter from his (Rimingado) lawyer earlier on Wednesday.

Bature, who doubles as the Deputy Director, Legal Services of the assembly explained that Rimingado said he was unable to attend the sitting on health ground and “They equally requested some documents from us which we are ready to oblige them.”

On the next sitting date, Bature said the committee will reply to the letter sent by Rimingado and “In the letter, we are going to send them whatever invitation, if there is need for us to sit again or if there is no need, we will still inform them. So, for now, I cannot preempt the decision of the committee.”

Rimingado’s lawyer, Usman Umar Fari, confirmed that his client was absent on health grounds but also because they need all the necessary facilities to prepare for their defence.

“Mr. Magaji was said to have been suspended on July 5 and no single document was served on him till date; he was not served with the letter of suspension, he was not served with a copy of the allegation against him.

“The only document that we received was the letter dated July 12 from the committee inviting him to appear before the committee without indicating the name of neither the petitioner nor the allegation against him,” he said.

He added that the documents they are requesting from the committee are: “A certified true copy of the petition written against our client; certified true copy/extract of the House resolution/ proceedings of July 5, 2021 concerning the issue under reference.”

He also demanded a certified true copy of the press releases issued by the assembly on July 5 and 7, which formed the basis of reports that Rimingado has been removed as chairman of the commission.

Fari said upon fulfilment of these requests, his client is ready to honour the invitation of the committee.