Alleged N11bn Diversion: Court Adjourns Shema’s Trial.

The Katsina High Court has adjourned the trial of former Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, and three others until December 11 and 12.

Justice Mai-Kaita Bako adjourned on Tuesday with respect to the statement of the fourth accused person, Mr Lawal Dankaba, which was rejected by the court.

Dankaba told the court that all the statements he made since inception of the trial were under duress.

The former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Mr Sani Makana; former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Lawal Rufa’I; and former chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Dankaba, are the three others standing trial along with the former governor.

They were alleged to have conspired and diverted the sum of N11 billion from the state ALGON account while piloting the affairs of the state.

When the trial started in 2015, Dankaba told the court that he was among those who conspired with the former governor to divert the money.

He later told the court that the statement he made was not true, noting that he was forced and threatened to make the statement.

Meanwhile, former Governor Shema is standing trial before Justice Hadiza Shagari of the Federal High Court in Katsina.

He was charged with 26 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N 5.7 billion belonging to Katsina State Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) fund.

The charges were filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).