Court dismisses suit seeking probe of Ganduje over ‘dollargate’ scandal (updated)

A federal high court sitting in Kano has dismissed the suit filed by Bulama Bukarti, a lawyer, seeking that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigate Abdullahii Ganduje, the state governor, for bribery.

This followed a series of video published by Daily Nigerian, which showed the governor reportedly receiving bribes from contractors.

The newspaper had reported that the governor received bales of dollars as kickbacks from contractors.

After the videos went viral, the lawyer had approached the court to issue an order compelling EFCC to probe the governor.

But at its sitting on Monday, Obiora Egwuatu, the presiding judge, struck out the suit, citing lack of evidence.

Although the state house of assembly opened an investigation into the matter, it suspended the probe after another court ruled that it had no powers to investigate such matter.

In an application filed before the court, Bukarti sought an order mandating the anti-graft agency to provide report of a forensic investigation of the videos and to act upon it.

But the presiding judge dismissed the application, after ruling that the evidence deposed to as affidavit must be cogent and verifiable.

He also held that nothing proves that the EFCC has conducted such forensic analysis on the videos, and any such report should first be forwarded to the house of assembly panel originally set up to look into the matter.

Editor’s note: This story was updated based on error of facts