Kano – Desperate attempts have recently been made to smear/malign the name of Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo. He is a prominent Nigerian politician and a grassroots mobiliser in Kano State. Sule Garo, popularly known as MSG, held various public offices, including Deputy Governorship candidate for Ganduje and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
But his tenure as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs under the administration of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje generated a storm for him.
The controversial allegations of diverting public funds between 2020 and 2023, totalling N57,433,981,816.00, subsequently led to his prosecution by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission at the Kano State High Court.
According to his adversaries, Sule Garo was prosecuted along with his principal (Ganduje) and two others.
The complainant alleged in a four-count charge that the accused “unlawfully, criminally conspired and diverted” the sum to personal use, being public funds of the state.
The charge sheet, dated 29th July 2024, sighted by our correspondent stated that the alleged fraudulent actions had caused “wrongful losses to the good people of Kano State, the Government of Kano State and the 44 Local Government Areas” of the state.
This singular act is contrary to the provisions of Sections 97, 309 and 315 of the Penal Code (as amended), Cap. 105, Vol. 2, Laws of Kano State, 1991, they argued.
The complainant also cited that the alleged fraud was a breach of Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).
However, the allegations fall flat in the eyes of the Constitution and extant laws of Nigeria.
The existing constitutional provisions and laws averred that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Therefore, the media trial of Sule Garo in this case ran foul of the laws. Moreso, the charges were preferred against his boss, who is a governor of the state.
Besides, the Kano State Government, being the complainant, has not shown interest in prosecuting the case.
Another charge brought against was dismissed by the court even as the state government decided to forgive him.
Following the above, the good people of Kano State and other interested parties should not have any difficulty in dismissing the allegations against MSG.
This is predicated on his innocence before the law court and forgiveness by the state government.