El-Rufai Back in ICPC Custody After Kaduna Court Appearances

El-Rufai Back in ICPC Custody After Kaduna Court Appearances

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has returned to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after appearing before two courts in Kaduna on Tuesday.

El-Rufai was brought before both the Federal High Court and the Kaduna State High Court to face separate charges, including allegations of fraud and money laundering.

Proceedings, however, were stalled at the state high court as his arraignment could not go on due to the absence of the second defendant in the case. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to April 10.

At the Federal High Court, the hearing of his bail application also suffered a delay.

The presiding judge adjourned the matter to April 1 after the prosecution informed the court that its counter-affidavit had only just been filed and required time for consideration.

The former governor had earlier been arraigned alongside one Joel Adoga by the ICPC on March 24 on charges bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting the court to fix a later date for the hearing of the bail application.

El-Rufai’s court appearances came days after the anti-corruption agency granted him temporary leave following the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma, who passed away in Egypt on March 27 while receiving medical treatment. She was buried the following day.

Following the court sessions in Kaduna, the former governor was returned to ICPC custody, where he remains pending the determination of his bail request.

Confirming the development, ICPC spokesperson, John Okor Odey, said the former governor had not been granted bail but was only released briefly on compassionate grounds.

“Temporary leave is different from bail. He was granted temporary leave to attend his mother’s burial. He is still in our custody. We took him to court,” Odey said.

The case is expected to continue in the coming days as the courts consider both the arraignment and bail applications.