2 Former Civil Servants in Katsina Docked Over N650m SURE-P fraud

Two former Katsina State government officials were yesterday arraigned on a 7-count charge of alleged misappropriation of about N650 million at the Department of Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) between June 2014-May 2015.

They duo, a former Director of Finance at SURE-P, Abdullahi Shinkafi and a former Chief store officer in the office of the Head of Service, Bello Bindawa, pleaded not guilty to the charge when read to them.

Shinkafi was accused among others of using a personal company to secure contract worth over N30m from the SURE-P and construction of community viewing centres in five different locations in the state at the cost of N6.9m each while Bindawa was accused of using a personal company for the supply of 835 tricycles worth over N625 million to SURE-P.


Earlier, the trial judge, Justice Maikaita Bako, had to rule on an impasse between the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences (ICPC) and the State Attorney-General on who has the right to prosecute the case were he maintained that the state attorney, having gotten the delegation of the Federal attorney-general, is the one to prosecute the matter.