DSS asks court to dismiss El-Rufai’s no-case submission in wiretapping case

The Department of the State Service, DSS, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the no case submission made by former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, in the wiretapping case brought against by the Federal Government through the Department of State Services, DSS.

El-Rufai is being prosecuted for allegedly eavesdropping on the conversation of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The Department of State Services, DSS, through its lawyer, Mr Oluwole Aladedoyin, SAN, on Tuesday prayed the court to compel El-Rufai to enter his defense in the charges against him in the interest of justice.

The secret police while countering the former governor on his claim that he has no case to answer, argued that the defence, in making the no case submission, evaded Exhibit B, which he said was El-Rufai’s confession.

“If they had averred it, they wont make the no case submission so I urge my Lord to invite the defendant to open his case,” Aladedoyin said.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution and defence adopted their positions on the no-case submission.

Counsel to El-Rufai, Mr Akinyemi Aremu, adopted the no-case submission and urged the court to uphold it and discharge former Kaduna governor from the charges against him for want of merit.

Earlier, Aremu, had announced that the defence team would be led by Mr Paul Erokoro, SAN, and that the senior lawyer prayed for the matter to be stood down as he was still on his way to court.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik refused the request, saying, “I do not do stand downs” and ordered Aremu to proceed with his arguments on the no case submission.

Meanwhile, Justice Abdulmalik has fixed October 26 for ruling on whether to quash the charges against the former governor or not.