Court stops probe of ex-gov Shema

The Katsina State Judicial Commission probing the immediate past regime of former Governor Ibrahim Shema, on Wednesday adjourned sitting indefinitely, following a court action instituted against the commission by the former governor.

 The former governor had dragged Governor Aminu Masari and 10 others, including the Chairman of the commission, Justice Muhammadu Ibrahim Suraj, before a Katsina High Court.

The commission’s Counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN, had drawn the attention of the commission’s Chairman to the former governor’s legal action shortly after the commission commenced sitting on Wednesday.

 Liman said, “On Monday, 20/6/16, the Commission received service from High Court of Katsina State in Suit No. KTH/60/2016.The suit filed was between former governor, Ibrahim Shema, CON, and the state Governor, Aminu Masari, and 10 others, as respondents.”

Shortly thereafter, Justice Suraj ruled that the commission should adjourn the case, assuring them of getting the new date of sitting to all counsel.

The commission‘s Chairman, in the ruling, declared, “Since the chairman is among the respondents in the suit, we shall adjourn till the date to be announced to all parties and counsel.”

Justice Suraj equally revealed that the commission had sought and secured the permission of Governor Masari to extend its period of sitting till September 28, 2016, as against the earlier deadline of June 28, 2016.

Before the commission’s ruling, the issue of substituted service in the newspapers on the former governor’s appearance before the commission had generated hot arguments between some of the counsel and the commission’s chairman, with the latter maintaining that only the former governor’s counsel was competent to argue over the issue before the commission.