A forensic investigator with the State Security Service (SSS) has alleged that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai planned to bribe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officers and intermediaries with $600,000 to stifle an investigation.
Testifying on Tuesday as the primary prosecution witness within the former governor’s trial earlier than Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court in Kawo, Segun Kayode narrated how $500,000 and $100,000 have been allegedly put aside for the illicit funds.
According to Channels Television, the witness knowledgeable the court that forensic audio recordings captured conversations between Mr El-Rufai and several other suspected associates.
The alleged discussions centered on methods to frustrate an EFCC investigation right into a agency named Singularity.
Mr Kayode testified that these talked about within the recordings included a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), one other unnamed particular person, and a son of the previous governor, Bashir El-Rufai.
He alleged that the SAN and the affiliate have been directed to get hold of a template from one Ahmadu Sule—beforehand used to liquidate one other agency—to apply to Singularity.
The witness additional alleged that the discussions detailed plans to liquidate Singularity in each Nigeria and Mauritius, the place the agency was reportedly underneath investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
Additionally, the audio recordings contained plans to forestall the EFCC from investigating an undisclosed firm listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The allegations kind a part of the prosecution’s proof towards the previous governor and have but to be established by the court.
Tuesday’s trial proceedings spanned almost eight hours, with roughly two hours devoted to taking part in the recorded audio proof.
Earlier within the session, lead defence counsel Paul Erokoro (SAN) objected to Mr Kayode’s testimony, arguing that the witness’s identify and a abstract of his proof have been omitted from the prosecution’s proof of proof.
Mr Erokoro contended that this omission violated his consumer’s proper to a good listening to, emphasising that the defence was entitled to prior discover of the proof it had to meet.
Countering the objection, lead counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), defined that Mr Kayode was a subpoenaed witness, that means the omission didn’t render his testimony inadmissible.
Citing judicial precedents, Mr Adedipe famous that the subpoena had been issued and signed by the court on 30 June, 2026, and that the defence would have full alternative to cross-examine the witness.
In response, Mr Erokoro clarified that his objection centred on whether or not the defence had been given satisfactory discover to put together, counting on Section 210 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, to argue that the prosecution was required to serve the subpoena on the defence.
In the ruling, Justice Khobo acknowledged the absence of the witness’s identify and proof abstract within the proof of proof however famous that court data confirmed he was subpoenaed.
The choose dominated that the omission didn’t robotically invalidate the testimony, supplied the defence was granted the chance to cross-examine the witness.
Following the admission of Mr Kayode’s hard-copy findings into proof as Exhibit 1, the defence raised additional issues concerning late service.
Justice Khobo dominated that the defence might get hold of a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the doc for detailed examination.
By consensus of each prosecution and defence groups, the court adjourned the case to 30 November and 1 December 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination.
Mr. El-Rufai arrived on the court underneath heavy safety round 11:50 a.m., forward of the scheduled midday listening to, accompanied by Isah Ashiru, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State.
His look adopted an specific order by Justice Khobo directing the ICPC to produce him in court.
The listening to came about days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed Mr El-Rufai’s attraction difficult the High Court’s refusal to grant him bail.
In its 9 October judgement, the appellate court affirmed the decrease court’s determination, ruling that the previous governor failed to set up ample grounds for intervention.
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Mr El-Rufai’s ongoing prosecution by the ICPC stems primarily from suggestions in a 2024 Kaduna State House of Assembly probe report that accused his 2015–2023 administration of mismanaging public funds.
The ICPC filed a number of prices towards the previous governor in federal and state courts, together with one alleging that he tapped the telephone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Mr El-Rufai has pleaded not responsible to all prices, sustaining that his prosecution is politically motivated.
He stays in ICPC custody underneath court-authorised remand orders whereas his authorized staff challenges his continued detention.
Mr El-Rufai has been in ICPC detention since 18 February.
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