Kano govt drags TV station boss, one other to court over misappropriation of funds

By Muhammed Yakubu On May 14, 2024

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Kano State Government has filed seven-count charges of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of fund among others running into millions of naira against Managing Director Abubakar Rimi Television, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa and Staff Officer, Ibrahim M. Bello

The application to prefer charge against the duo under section 211 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and Section 121 (1), 123 (1) (a) 126( b) and 377 of the Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (2019) sighted by SolaceBase on Tuesday, dated May 14th, 2024, was attached with the charge sheet, the list of witnesses and their statements, a summary of statements of witnesses, the summary of evidence and copies of the statements of the defendants and other exhibits.

The charge was filed by Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission under the fiat accorded it by the Attorney General of the state.

SolaceBase had reported that the state anti-corruption commission investigated the matter sequel to a petition written to the state governor against the embattle ARTV Managing Director, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa.

According to credible sources, the anti-craft commission after a thorough investigation discovered a lot of atrocities at the television station that warranted dragging the duo to court after submission of the report to the governor.

The first head of count reads, ‘’that you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa, together with you Ibrahim M Bello, between the period of January, 2024 or there about, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division,

conspire amongst yourselves while serving in your official capacities as the Managing Director and staff officer of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation (ARTV) wholly owned by the Kano State Government, agreed to do or caused to be done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly misappropriated and/or converted to your own use the sum of N9,500,000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being money disbursed and credited to the account of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation from the Kano

State consolidated Revenue Account No. 4968083012 domiciled at FCMB, as take-off grant, the monies which you dishonestly caused to be put to the 2nd defendant’s personal Bank account No: 331 172332 Domicile at Eco Bank, before sharing it for your own use causing wrongful loss to people and government of Kano State and wrongful gain to you and your associates and thereby committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.

SECOND HEAD OF CHARGE.

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa male, adult between the periods of 19h March, 2024 or thereabout, in Kano in the Kano Judicial Division while serving in your capacity as a public servant, to wit, the Managing Director of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation and being charged with the receipt, custody and management of the sum of N3,400,000 (Three Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira), being a disbursement received by the State Government owned Television station for the Commercials

Airtime payment by Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRIN) through the ARTV/ANRIN dedicated account No.0005181209 domicile at Unity Bank Plc, the monies which you directed the cashier and the programme coordinator to withdraw in cash on the 19th day of March 2024 and you converted the

same into your personal use and that of your associates thereby causing wrongful gain to yourself and wrongful loss to the Government and People of Kano State and thereby committed an offence of

Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 315 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.

THIRD HEAD OF CHARGE.

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa male, adult between the periods of 16th April. 2024 or thereabout, in Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving in your capacity as a public servant, to wit, the Managing Director of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation and being charged with the receipt,

custody and management of the sum of N40,000,000.00 (forty million Naira), being a disbursement received by the State Government-owned Television station for the Commercials Airtime payment by Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRIN) through the ARTV account No. 2142010472 domicile

at Eco Bank, the monies which you directed the payment of N12,000,000 (Twelve Million Naira) to yourself and other management staff of the corporation under the guise of “Canvasser” thereby causing wrongful gain to

yourselves and wrongful loss to the Government and People of Kano State and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).

FOURTH HEAD OF CHARGE

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa male, adult between the periods of l6th April 2024 or thereabout, in Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving in your capacity as a public servant, to wit, the Managing Director of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation and being charged with the receipt,

custody and management of the sum of N40,000,000 (forty million Naira), being a disbursement received

by the State Government owned Television station for the Commercials Airtime payment by Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRIN) through the ARTV account No.2142010472 domicile at Eco Bank, the monies which you directed the payment of NI2,000,000(Twelve Million Naira) to yourself and other management staff of the corporation under the guise of “Canvasser” thereby causing wrongful gain to yourselves and wrongful loss to the government and People of Kano State and thereby committed

an offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under scction 315 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.

FIFTH HEAD OF CHARGE

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa male, adult between the periods of 19 March, 2024 or thereabout, in Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving in your capacity as a public servant, to wit, the managing Director of Abubakar Rimi Television Corporation and being charged with the receipt,

custody and management of the sum of N3,400,000 (Three Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira), being a disbursement received by the State Government owned Television station for the Commercials

Airtime payment by Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRIN) through the ARTV/ANRIN dedicated account No. 0005181209 domicile at Unity Bank Ple, the monies which you directed the cashier and the program coordinator to withdraw in cash on the 19th day of March 2024 and was given to you

and converted same into your personal use thereby causing wrongful gain to yourself and wrongful loss to the Government and People of Kano State and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti- Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).

SIXTH HEAD OF CHARGE

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa, together with you Ibrahim M Bello, between the period of February 2023 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, conspire amongst yourselves while serving in your official capacities as making director and staff officer of Abubakar Rimi television corporation, agreed to do or cause to be

done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly misappropriated and/or converted to your own use

the sum of N9,500,000.00 (Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being money disbursed and credited to the account of Abubakar Rimi Television corporation from the Kano State consolidated Revenue Account No. 4968083012 domiciled at FCMB, as a take-off grant, the monies which you dishonestly caused to be put into the 2nd defendant’s personal Bank account No.3321172332

Domicile at Eco Bank before converting it for your own use causing wrongful loss to the people and the Government of Kano State and wrongful gain to you and your associates and thereby committed the of Criminal breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 315 of The Penal Code

(as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.

SEVENTH HEAD OF CHARGE

That you, Mustapha Adamu Indabawa, together with you Ibrahim M Bello, between the period of February 2023 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, conspire amongst yourselves while serving in your official capacities as managing director and staff officer of Abubakar Rimi television corporation, agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly misappropriated

and/or converted to your own use the sum of N9,500,000.00 (Nine Milion Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being money disbursed and credited to the account of Abubakar Rimi Television corporation from the Kano State consolidated Revenue Account No. 4968083012 domiciled at FCMB, as take-off grant, the monies which you dishonestly caused to be put into the 2nd defendant personal Bank account No.3321172332 Domicile at Eco Bank and convert it for your own use causing wrongful loss to the

people and Government of Kano State and wrongful gain to you and your associates and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints

and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).