Shema’s trial stalled as witness fails to provide key documents
The inability of the first prosecuting witness, one Ibrahim Dabo, to provide a comprehensive report of his committee that investigated the affairs of Katsina State Local Government Councils in 2015 has led to the adjournment of the trial of former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shema.
Dabo could not provide needed answers which prompted the prosecution counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to seek another date to enable the said report to be made available.
His request was not objected by the defence and Shema’s counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, which made the presiding judge, Justice Maikaita Bako, to adjourn the matter to 30th and 31st May, 2018.
At the resumed sitting of the court yesterday, Shema who was docked alongside three others, namely Sani Hamisu Makana, Lawal Ahmad Safana and Ibrahim Lawal Dankaba had all pleaded not guilty to the 24-count charge leveled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They are in the main facing the charge of financial misappropriation of the state’s local government funds amounting to N11 billion.
The EFCC had since February 21st , 2017 dragged Shema and the three others before the court on a 24-count charge of criminal breach of trust, fraud, conspiracy and forgery.
