Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
The Kwara State Government has filed an modification to its 20-count cost against two former governors of the state, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed, over the 2018 Offa financial institution theft case.
The authorities, nonetheless, dropped 18 of the unique costs whereas retaining solely two, and including two new costs.
In the amended cost sheet with Charge Number: KWS/114C/2026 signed by the State Attorney General, Senior Ibrahim Sulyman (SAN), which was sighted by THISDAY on Friday, the federal government lowered the full variety of costs to 4.
In the brand new cost sheet, counts 1 and a couple of, accused Saraki, Ahmed, Yusuf Abdulwahab and Alabi (*18*) of “conspiring to belong to gang of thieves” and “belonging to gang of thieves”.
Also, counts 3 and 4 accused the quartet of concealment and disappearance of a “vehicle used for illegal purpose”.
A movement on discover for the amended costs dated November 6, 2026, has been filed by the prosecution and supported by a six-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Sulyman Mohammed-Jamiu, a litigation clerk within the workplace of the Kwara State AG.
With the brand new growth, the Kwara State Government has dropped all costs referring to armed theft regarding the Offa financial institution theft case against the previous President of the Senate, Saraki; Ahmed and the 2 different defendants who have been aides to the speedy previous governor.
It can be recalled that on the final sitting of the State High Court on the case on November 5, 2026, the choose, Justice Osuolale Ajayi reserved his ruling on the difficulty of whether or not he may proceed with the arraignment when the defendant has a pending software for a keep of proceedings on the matter on the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal on November 3, 2026 suggested the lawyer to Ahmed, Mr J. A. Mumini (SAN), to make a proper software for the court docket to situation an order that the events on the trial court docket ought to keep establishment ante bellum, as a substitute of the oral submission that he made to the court docket.
The appellate court docket then adjourned the case to November 12, 2026.
The case on the trial court docket which commenced in April 2026 has not proceeded to trial because the court docket continues to be mired in a number of preliminary points which have been taken to the appellate court docket.
When contacted, a member of Saraki and Ahmed’s authorized group described the battle by the prosecution to press costs against the 2 former governors as “a mockery of the judicial process and an exercise in futility”.
The lawyer famous that it was “a humorous flip of occasions to accuse two former governors of belonging to a gang of thieves.
“This isn’t just a shame to the establishment of governorship of our expensive state; it is usually a drag on the title of our expensive state within the mud.
“And all this battle is simply because the current authorities desperately desires to see the previous governors within the dock. They moved from the case of armed theft to becoming a member of a gang of thieves.
“It is clear that the government is bereft of ideas on how to achieve its aim”.
The lawyer added that, “The current cost sheet just like the one they deserted will document no success.
“It will fall like a pack of badly organized playing cards. We will meet them in court docket.
“This is why we consider the AG needs to be extra assertive in advising his principal to cease chasing shadows.
“They must have resorted to this new amendment to the charges after realising they will not be able to achieve their aims with the unwieldy list of charges earlier filed. The new charges will not turn out better”.
Attempts by THISDAY to get the State AG and different attorneys to the federal government to answer the brand new growth regarding the amended costs weren’t profitable.
However, sources near the state authorities instructed THISDAY that the modification got here on account of recommendation by the AG and different members of the prosecution group that the previous cost sheet can’t assist the federal government to nail the defendants.
