The Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC) has filed an amended nine-count cost in opposition to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged fraud, abuse of workplace, and corruption.
Counsel to the previous governor, Ukpong Abang, disclosed this to journalists shortly after proceedings on the Kaduna State Excessive Court docket on Monday.
Abang defined that the prosecution revised the fees by eradicating one of many earlier defendants, leaving El-Rufai as the one defendant within the case.
In keeping with him, the courtroom took the plea of the previous governor in the course of the resumed listening to and in addition thought-about his bail utility.
He famous that the defence crew obtained the amended fees in courtroom on Monday morning, which made it unattainable for the listening to to proceed.
âThe costs are fully new to us. They have been served on us this morning whereas we have been already in courtroom, and that’s the reason the matter couldn’t go on,â Abang mentioned.
He added that the defence would fastidiously research the brand new fees earlier than deciding on the following line of motion.
âWe are going to analyse the fees totally and reply accordingly. For now, we’d like time to overview them,â he said.
The courtroom subsequently adjourned the matter to Tuesday, April 14, for ruling on the bail utility.
In keeping with the cost marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, the ICPC alleged that El-Rufai dedicated a number of offences throughout his time in workplace.
In Depend One, the fee accused him of inducing the Kaduna State Authorities in 2016 to confer a advantage of N11bn on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Restricted for a lightweight rail mission that was allegedly not executed.
Counts Two and Three alleged that he permitted and obtained severance advantages totalling about N289.8m, far above the legally permitted N20m.
In Depend 4, the prosecution alleged that the previous governor dishonestly disposed of greater than $1m, mentioned to be a part of a World {Bank} mortgage to Kaduna State, opposite to the mortgage Contract.
Depend 5 accused him of conspiring with others nonetheless at giant to supply inducements to federal investigators in an try to affect an ongoing investigation.
Different counts relate to alleged violations of procurement legal guidelines within the award of a multi-billion-naira CCTV contract, granting undue benefit to associates, and illegal land allocations.
The ICPC had earlier arraigned El-Rufai alongside businessman Amadu Sule earlier than Justice Darius Khobo on allegations together with abuse of workplace, fraud, tried fraud, and granting undue benefit.
El-Rufai had remained in ICPC custody from February 19 till March 28, when he was briefly launched on compassionate grounds to attend his momâs burial.