Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Monday present at the Federal High Court in Kaduna as proceedings resumed in the corruption case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The former governor arrived at the court premises in the morning under the watch of security personnel. Officials of the ICPC, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and officers of the Nigeria Police Force were also seen around the court complex as the matter came up for hearing.
The ongoing trial centres on allegations of abuse of office, fraud and financial misconduct linked to El-Rufai’s time in office as Kaduna State governor.
The anti-graft agency has accused him of approving and releasing public funds for projects that were either not executed or were allegedly handled outside due process.
El-Rufai has consistently denied the allegations. He has maintained that he committed no offence while serving as governor and has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
At Monday’s sitting, lawyers representing both the prosecution and the defence were expected to continue arguments on pending applications before the court as the substantive trial moves forward.
The case has attracted national attention because of El-Rufai’s political profile and his role in the country’s political landscape over the years. Security was visibly heightened around the court to ensure order during the proceedings.
The former governor was earlier granted bail by the court in the sum of ₦200 million. The bail came with strict conditions, including the provision of two sureties. One of the sureties is required to be a serving or retired civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the other must be a recognised traditional ruler.
His legal team had also approached the court seeking a review of some of the bail conditions. The application followed earlier legal arguments over the terms attached to his release.
The trial is expected to continue with further hearings as both sides present their cases and the court considers the applications before it.
