The Kaduna State Excessive Courtroom has fastened the primary week of June for listening to onthe bail utility filed by Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of the state.
When the matter got here up on Tuesday, Darius Khobo, the presiding decide, stated the courtroom will evaluate the bail utility and ship ruling within the first week of June.
The decide additionally added that the matter could be given accelerated listening to.
El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC) on a 9-count cost bordering on allegations of corruption and abuse of workplace
Talking to journalists after the courtroom proceedings, counsel to the previous governor, Ukpon Akpan, kicked towards the repeated adjournment of the bail listening to, describing it as politically motivated.
Akpan stated the defence staff would problem the courtroom’s place on the bail utility.
He stated the courtroom’s refusal to grant bail was primarily based on issues that the defendant might intrude with investigations, a place he strongly disagreed with.
“The courtroom in its knowledge determined that as a result of Nasir El-Rufai is a former governor, he’s going to intrude with the investigation…. “We respectfully disagree,” he stated.
Akpan stated, “The subsequent step is to take the authorized steps required to problem the choice of the courtroom.
“We’ll reply by means of the right authorized course of. That’s what the regulation requires.”
He alleged the case carried political undertones, stressing that the defencewould stay targeted on authorized arguments earlier than the courtroom.
He stated, “From the start, all the pieces about Nasir El-Rufai’s travails have all the time been political. That is primarily the authorized arm of it”.
He nevertheless urged supporters and associates of the previous governor to stay calm and be steadfast within the face of the continuing proceedings.
“Don’t enable worry take over. Don’t act as if one thing deadly has occurred. No person has died.
“In a battle, you’ve gotten positive factors and setbacks. Generally, issues work towards you, however you will need to not be frightened, “he stated.
Akpan added that the defence would proceed to rely strictly on established authorized processes in responding to the fees.
Times Nigeria