The legal battle involving former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has taken a fresh turn after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission amended the charges against him.
During proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, the anti-corruption agency removed the name of the second defendant, Amadu Suleiman, managing director of TMDK Terminal Limited, from the case.
ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that the decision followed Suleiman’s continued absence, reportedly due to medical reasons.
The court granted the application, allowing the case to proceed solely against Nasir El-Rufai.
Following the amendment, the former governor was re-arraigned on nine counts bordering on alleged corruption, fraud, and abuse of office under multiple laws, including the Corrupt Practices Act and the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The prosecution urged the court to fix a trial date and ensure his continued attendance, while the defence applied for bail, citing a pending application.
The court adjourned ruling on the bail request to April 14 and ordered that Nasir El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody pending the decision.
According to the amended charges, the ICPC alleged that in December 2016, El-Rufai used false pretences to facilitate the payment of N11 billion by the Kaduna State Government to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was never executed.
The commission also accused him of using his position to confer undue advantage on himself.
In a separate allegation, the ICPC claimed that he received N289.8 million as severance allowance in January 2023, exceeding the approved amount, and that he knew or ought to have known the excess funds were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Further claims include that between 2017 and 2023, he allegedly received foreign currency payments from multiple individuals through a bank account, which the commission described as proceeds of unlawful activity.
Reacting in court, his counsel, Ukpong Abang, said the defence had only just been served with the amended charges and would need time to review them.
“The charges are new to us. They were given to us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed,” he said.
The case has been adjourned for a hearing on the bail application.
In a related development, a separate case involving Nasir El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Kaduna has also been fixed for April 14 for ruling on his bail application.
The former governor has denied all allegations.
