•••Benue CJ discharges 3 suspects, grants 19 others bail
TRACKING_____Operatives of the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested the state’s Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Mukhtar Ishaq, over allegations bordering on diversion of N76 million.
In another development, Benue Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Aondove Karkhan, yesterday discharged three detainees awaiting trial and granted 19 others bail at the Maximum Security Custodian Centre, Makurdi. However, EFCC said the Kano commissioner, who was arrested on Thursday, was alleged to have diverted the funds during his tenure as Chairman of Kano Municipal Local Government.
The EFCC, in a statement, yesterday, by its acting spokesperson, Mr. Tony Orilade, said: “Mukhtar’s trouble followed a petition which states that while he was Chairman, Kano Municipal, he allegedly diverted N76, 000, 000 only, which was meant for projects, development and empowerment of the people.” According to the commission: “The petitioner further alleged that the suspect ordered the deduction of N30, 000 only from the account of each council member without justification.
“The Commissioner is also alleged to have converted property of Kofar Nasarawa Primary School, Kano, into shops and sold same at the rate of N10, 000, 000 only, per shop and diverted the money to personal use.”
It promised to charge the state official to court as soon as investigations were completed. Meanwhile, Karkhan gave the order while on an inspection tour with members of the State Criminal Justice Committee to the correctional centre.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CJ, who is also the chairman of the committee, has led the committee members to the centre to review cases of 496 detainees awaiting trial. Karkhan, however, expressed displeasure over antics deployed in case, which has resulted in the unnecessary delay of cases by prosecution.
The CJ explained that the action was inimical to the state’s justice delivery process, adding that it was worrisome that scores of suspects were kept in deten-tion for many years without progressive trial.
He said it was unconstitutional to keep accused persons for that long no matter the offences, adding that it was wrong for courts to wait for legal advice in criminal matters for up to two years.
He, therefore, advised the police prosecutors to work together with the Ministry of Justice officials to ensure that legal advice on criminal suits were issued on time to ensure speedy trial. He then admonished the freed inmates to desist from crime and live a reformed life to secure their future.
