The Division of State Providers (DSS) has arraigned former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on a five-count amended cost bordering on an alleged breach of nationwide safety.
El-Rufai was arraigned earlier than Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja, the place he pleaded not responsible to all counts.
When the case was known as, counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye, knowledgeable the court docket that the matter was mounted for the defendant to take his plea.
Aladedoye additional informed the court docket {that a} five-count amended cost had been filed on April 13, and prayed the court docket to substitute it for the sooner three-count cost.
Counsel to El-Rufai, Oluwole Iyamu, confirmed that he had been served with the amended cost and didn’t oppose the appliance.
The trial choose subsequently struck out the sooner three-count cost.
After the amended counts had been learn, the previous governor pleaded not responsible, and the prosecution requested three consecutive trial dates.
Nevertheless, the defence objected to the request for consecutive trial days, arguing that the proposed schedule wouldn’t be in its finest curiosity, significantly because the defendant had been within the custody of the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC), which may restrict entry to him.
Iyamu additionally knowledgeable the court docket of a bail software filed on February 17, noting {that a} additional affidavit in assist of the appliance was initially lacking from the court docket file.
The court docket stood down the matter to permit the problem to be addressed, and upon resumption, the affidavit was situated.
The DSS said that it didn’t oppose the bail software.
The prosecution subsequently filed an software in search of an order to hide the identities of two witnesses anticipated to testify within the case.
It requested that the witnesses’ identities mustn’t seem in public court docket data and that pseudonyms be used through the trial.
The DSS argued that the witnesses’ households might be weak to assaults from individuals sympathetic to the defendant.
The defence opposed the request, urging the court docket to dismiss it.
It argued that it’s the constitutional proper of an accused particular person to know his accusers and that there was no proof to counsel that El-Rufai posed any threat or had a cult-like following.
The defence additional warned that granting blanket anonymity may prejudice the case towards the defendant.
As well as, the defence utilized for an order directing the prosecution to furnish it with proof of proof to allow sufficient preparation for trial.
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the supplies sought had been unrelated to its filed processes.
The defence additionally knowledgeable the court docket that it had filed an software to quash the cost, though authorized arguments had been raised that such an software can’t be introduced after a plea has been taken.
The prosecution, in a written tackle, urged the court docket to dismiss the appliance for missing benefit.
The case was adjourned till Might 18 for continuation of listening to.
Godfrey Eshiomoghie
Times Nigeria