Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has suffered a setback in his ongoing legal battle after the Federal High Court in Abuja declined his request to ease the bail conditions earlier imposed on him.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, rejected an application seeking a review of the bail terms, insisting that the conditions remain valid and enforceable.
El-Rufai, through his counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), had urged the court to reconsider parts of the bail requirements, arguing that they were excessively stringent and practically difficult to satisfy.
The senior advocate specifically challenged the requirement for sureties who must be Level 17 civil servants with landed property in Abuja’s highbrow Maitama or Asokoro districts. He also questioned the necessity for verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna State Traditional Council, describing the conditions as onerous and unrealistic.
However, the prosecution, led by Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), opposed the application and maintained that individuals who meet the court’s requirements are available. He therefore asked the court to dismiss the request.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the prosecution’s position and held that there are indeed civil servants who own properties in the specified locations, making the conditions neither impossible nor unreasonable. She consequently refused to vary the bail terms.
Meanwhile, proceedings in the alleged wiretapping case took a significant turn as the Department of State Services (DSS) formally closed its case against the former Governor.
At the resumed hearing, prosecuting counsel, Aladedoye informed the court that the prosecution would not be presenting any additional witnesses, leading to the official closure of the DSS case.
Following the development, Erokoro told the court that the defence would be filing a no-case submission, contending that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence linking El-Rufai to the allegations.
The defence subsequently requested two weeks to file its application, while the prosecution sought a similar period to respond and submit its counter-arguments.
After hearing both parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until September 22 for the hearing of the no-case submission and further proceedings in the trial.
