The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has reserved judgment in an appeal brought by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is challenging the Kaduna State High Court's refusal to grant him bail.
As reported on Tuesday, October 6, by Channels Television, Presiding Judge Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi announced that the court had reserved judgment after hearing arguments from both sides. No date was fixed for the delivery of the judgment.
ICPC Urges Court to Dismiss El-Rufai's Appeal
ICPC lead counsel Ayodeji Adedipe told the appellate court that the lower court acted correctly in denying El-Rufai bail and urged the court to throw out the appeal. Adedipe said El-Rufai had gone before the trial court three times seeking bail, and all three applications were refused.
He explained that the first application was dismissed outright, while the second was also refused after El-Rufai failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstances. A third application was later filed and equally dismissed, but rather than appeal that ruling, El-Rufai chose to challenge the decision on the second application.
Adedipe argued that El-Rufai's legal team failed to disclose to the Court of Appeal that the third bail application had also been turned down, and on that basis described the appeal as unmeritorious.
El-Rufai's Lawyer Urges Court to Grant Bail
According to Leadership Newspaper, Paul Erokoro (SAN), counsel to El-Rufai, asked the court to overturn the High Court's decision and grant his client bail while the charges against him are being determined.
Erokoro argued that the offences for which El-Rufai was charged are bailable and do not constitute capital offences, making the continued denial of bail unjustifiable. "Bail was a constitutional right except in capital offences," he said, adding that holding his client in ICPC custody was undermining his ability to properly prepare a defence.
The senior lawyer said the detention had restricted El-Rufai's access to his lawyers and witnesses, and raised concerns about confidential communication between the defendant and his legal team being compromised.
Erokoro also described El-Rufai as a prominent opposition figure and suggested it was not coincidental that criminal charges were brought against him close to an election period. He said the defence remained hopeful that the Court of Appeal would take a different position from the lower court.
Sanusi Raises Questions on El-Rufai's Detention
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid El-Rufai's detention, Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II raised serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria's anti-corruption campaign, alleging that political connections can shield suspects from prosecution while others remain detained without conviction.
Sanusi spoke on the sidelines of the Lagos launch of 'The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy', a book by senior advocate Wahab Shittu. The emir argued that passing anti-corruption legislation is only part of the solution, and that the institutions responsible for enforcing it matter just as much.
