The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission last week arraigned the Commissioner of Lands, Alhaji Farouk Bibi Farouk and two other officials of the Ministry over alleged land racketeering involving the sale of a piece of land purportedly belonging to the state governor.
Docked with him were a former permanent secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Mahmud Bari, and the director of One Stop shop, Alhaji Ahmad Ibrahim.
They were charged with criminal breach of trust by a civil servant, which is punishable under Section 97 of the penal code.
Prosecution lawyer Rabi Ibrahim Waya, said they were also charged with a breach of trust by a civil servant, an offence punishable under Section 97 of the penal code, as well as with the issuance of two occupancy permits at Kunya ta Inna, covered by layout plan TP/KNUPDA/338 at Kumbotso, in the fictitious names of one Aisha Kabeer and Maryam Ado, which were sold at N300,000 each.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Their lawyer, Akinola Kehinde, urge the court to grant his clients bail, saying they also needed access to the charge sheets to enable them to defend themselves adequately.
He expressed concern that the charges, which are criminal in nature, could end the career of his clients and put a permanent blemish on them and dent their names forever.
Justice Nasiru Saminu, presiding, granted the accused persons bail on their own recognition and adjourned the case to the 9th and 10th of February 2017 for hearing. He also granted the request by the defendants for access to the charge sheets.
