A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai , in the sum of N100 million with one surety ...
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like amount over allegations of unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a five-count charge bordering on alleged interception of communications linked to the NSA’s telephone line.
Delivering ruling on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that the surety must be a resident of either Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja and must submit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property to the court registry.
The court further directed that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Abdulmalik also ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, submit a recent passport photograph, and provide a verification letter from the surety’s department alongside a six-month tax clearance certificate.
The judge directed El-Rufai to surrender all valid international passports to the court and submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
As part of the bail conditions, the former governor was ordered to report to the DSS headquarters every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case. The court warned that failure to comply would result in automatic revocation of the bail.
In a separate ruling, the court granted the prosecution’s application seeking protection of the identities of DSS witnesses. Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the witnesses would testify under pseudonyms and their identities would not be disclosed during proceedings.
The court also rejected the defence’s request for access to all materials and evidence the prosecution intends to rely upon, holding that the proof of evidence already served on the defence was sufficient under the law.
Justice Abdulmalik further dismissed an application by the defence seeking to quash the amended charge and discharge the defendant, ruling that Section 221 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) does not permit such an application.
The judge subsequently granted accelerated hearing in the case.
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