Court rejects El-Rufai’s bail variation request, orders continued detention

Ex-governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has failed to have the bail conditions placed on him by the Federal High Court in Abuja reviewed.

According to Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, she turned down the request to ease off the bail conditions placed on El-Rufai in her ruling on an application filed by El-Rufai.

Through his legal counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, he requested for the variation of some of the bail conditions which were previously given to him, saying the conditions are too stringent and outlandish to meet.

He also noted that the bail conditions are too harsh and hard for El-Rufai, especially the one demanding for Level 17 civil servants who must have their properties either in Maitama or Asokoro and also the traditional council of Kaduna State verification and attestation letters.

But the prosecution, represented by Oluwole Aladedoye SAN, objected to the application and argued that there are qualified public officers that satisfy the requirements.

In delivering her judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik denied the application to vary the bail conditions on the basis that there are civil servants that own properties at the specified place.

Meanwhile at the Tuesday proceedings, the Department of State Service ended its case against the former governor in the wiretapping case pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the resumed proceedings, the prosecutor, Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that there will be no other witness called in the matter, resulting in the end of the case of the DSS.

Consequently, counsel to the defendant, Paul Erokoro SAN, informed the court that the defence would be filing an application for no-case submission, contending that the prosecution has not established any case against the former governor.

Two weeks were granted for the defence to file the application, two weeks for response from the prosecution and the necessary filings by both sides.

September 22 was therefore fixed for hearing of the no case submission and other matters.