El-Rufai bail hearing delayed until June

 

The bail hearing of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has been postponed until the first week of June, following a ruling by a High Court in Kaduna.

The presiding judge, Darius Khobo, announced the adjournment on Tuesday, extending uncertainty over Mr El-Rufai’s request for release ahead of trial.

He appeared in court under the custody of officials from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

His lawyer, Ukpon Akpan, criticised the repeated delays, describing them as politically driven and an obstruction to his client’s right to a timely hearing.

The case had previously been adjourned on 14 April, when the court deferred a decision on the bail application to 21 April. Tuesday’s development pushes that decision further back to June.

Mr El-Rufai was charged on 13 April with nine counts relating to alleged fraud and abuse of office. Prosecutors later amended the charge, removing a co-defendant from the case.

In a separate matter before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, he has already been granted bail of 200 million naira.

The former governor has remained in ICPC custody since 19 February, after being transferred from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was briefly released on compassionate grounds in March to attend his mother’s funeral before returning to detention.