Court of Appeal Reserves Judgment on El-Rufai's Bail Appeal

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has reserved judgment on the bail appeal of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is challenging the Kaduna State High Court's refusal to grant him bail. The presiding judge, Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, did not specify a date for the judgment.

During the proceedings, Ayodeji Adedipe, representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), argued against El-Rufai's appeal, stating that the High Court was correct in rejecting his bail applications. Adedipe noted that El-Rufai had made three separate bail requests, all of which were denied due to a lack of exceptional circumstances.

In contrast, El-Rufai's counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, contended that the charges against his client were bailable and that continued detention hindered El-Rufai's ability to prepare his defense. Erokoro emphasized that El-Rufai's status as a prominent opposition figure and the timing of the charges, close to an election, were significant factors.