The Court of Appeal in Abuja has directed a fresh hearing in the legal tussle over the Kano Emirate involving Alhaji Ado Bayero and Muhammadu Sanusi.
In a judgment delivered on Friday, the appellate court ruled that Sanusi was denied a fair hearing due to the flawed manner in which the Kano High Court handled proceedings against him.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Mohammed Mustapha stated that the Kano High Court failed to uphold the principles of justice by proceeding without serving Sanusi a hearing notice, thus preventing him from presenting his case.
Justice Mustapha emphasized that courts are obligated to ensure justice by providing all parties with equal opportunities to be heard. He described the High Court’s approach as a miscarriage of justice.
The appellate court noted that Sanusi should have been notified to present his grievances before any judgment was rendered, criticizing the process as poorly conducted.
As a result, the Court of Appeal ordered the case to be sent back to the Chief Judge of the Kano State High Court for reassignment to a different judge for prompt resolution.
Justice Mustapha refrained from awarding costs against the respondents in the appeal filed by Muhammadu Sanusi.
Peoplesmind
