AG to EFCC: Tambuwal Pardoned 5 Persons Indicted by Commission of Inquiry

By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

The Sokoto State Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Suleiman Usman (SAN), has expressed dismay at the way the fight against corruption has been reduced to a personal battle, saying Governor Aminu Tambuwal granted pardon to five persons in respect of their indictment by the commission of inquiry set up by his predecessor in 2009.

Usman spoke against the backdrop of an appeal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) challenging the power of the governor to pardon five defendants including two serving commissioners in his cabinet, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, who is the Commissioner for Animal Health and Fisheries Development, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Isa Achida; the Chairman, Governing Board, National Commission for Colleges of Education, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi; the member representing Isa constituency at the House of Assembly, Alhaji Habibu Modachi; and a Permanent Secretary, Isah Bello.

Speaking with THISDAY in Sokoto Thursday, Usman described as untrue the reports in one of the dailies (not THISDAY) that Tambuwal granted pardon to those persons who were charged to court by the EFCC.

He explained that Tambuwal granted pardon to those people in respect of offences they were alleged to have committed against the laws of Sokoto state.

“They were indicted by the Aminu Ahmad Commission of Inquiry. They sought for pardon for that indictment and the governor did that. They went and used that pardon in the court by filing it and arguing that even the case is covered. And the court ruled and discharged them. So, the state government has nothing to do with that,” he said.

Details later…

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