Court Rejects El-Rufai’s Bid To Relax Bail Conditions

The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused an application by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, seeking a variation of the bail conditions earlier imposed on him.

NEWSNGR reports that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the request on Tuesday while ruling on an application filed by the former governor.

El-Rufai, through his counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), had urged the court to review some of the bail conditions, describing them as harsh, stringent and difficult to fulfil.

The senior advocate argued that the requirements for sureties, including Level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna State Traditional Council, were onerous.

However, counsel for the Department of State Services, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), opposed the application, insisting that qualified public officers who met the conditions were available.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the conditions were not impossible to meet and declined to vary them.

The judge noted that there were civil servants who owned properties in the specified locations and therefore refused the application.

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) closed its case against the former governor in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial.

At the resumed hearing, Aladedoye informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling any further witnesses, leading to the formal closure of its case.

Following the development, Erokoro told the court that the defence intended to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence against his client.

The defence requested two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution sought a similar period to respond.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until September 22 for the hearing of the no-case submission and continuation of proceedings.