THE immediate past Governor of Kebbi State, Saidu Dakingari, was on Wednesday arraigned before Justice Ismail Bashir of the Kebbi State High Court 2, Birnin Kebbi, for allegedly embezzling the sum of N1.094 billion belonging to the state.

According to the spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC),  Rasheedat Okoduwa, Dakingari committed the crime in connivance with Mohammed Bello-Tunga and Rabiu Kamba, who were his commissioner of finance and secretary to the state government respectively. The accused person was Kebbi State governor between 2007 and 2015.

Tunga and Kamba are already facing prosecution at the Kebbi State High Court. However, when the case was mentioned on Wednesday, the court was informed that Tunga, the former Commissioner of finance had passed on; his name was subsequently struck out of the trial.

The ICPC alleged that Dakingari and his co-accused persons conspired to defraud Kebbi State of the sum of N349,475,000, which was the fund meant for the provision of power generators and “other logistics” for all polling units in Kebbi State for the 2015 general elections.

Also, the former governor and his cohorts cornered the sum of N430,000,000 which was released to provide logistics support for security agencies during the 2015 general elections. He also pocketed the N315,000,000 which was to be disbursed to Imams and Mallams to enable them organise sensitization and enlightenment programmes against religious incitement prior to the 2015 general elections.

ICPC’s investigation activities revealed that the said amounts were shared by Dakingari’s political allies, instead of being used for the purposes for which they were appropriated.

Elijah Akaakohol, counsel to the ICPC, said the actions of the former governor were contrary to and punishable under sections 19 and 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Dakingari pleaded not guilty to all the charges. His counsel, Asiwaju Awomolo (SAN) tendered a written application seeking for him to be granted bail.

Bail was granted to the accused person in the sum of N10 million and one surety in like sum who must be resident and possess property worth N10 million within the jurisdiction of the court.

The case was adjourned to December 4 and 5, 2018 for commencement.