•Nasir El-Rufai
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is expected to appear today (Thursday) before the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna for the continuation of his trial over alleged corruption and abuse of office.
El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), reports The Nation.
The case, which has drawn significant public attention, resumed on Wednesday amid tight security at the court premises.
It will be recalled that the trial judge, Rilwanu Aikawa, had on April 14 granted the former governor bail with stringent conditions.
Justice Aikawa admitted him to bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.
The court, however, ordered that the defendant remain in ICPC custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
Among the conditions, the sureties are required to deposit their international passports with the court.
The court also directed that one of the sureties must be a serving civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the other must be a recognised traditional ruler.
In addition, El-Rufai was barred from making public comments on the case and mandated to attend all court sittings.
When the matter came up yesterday, the former governor was present in court, although it was unclear whether he had fully met the bail conditions.
Journalists were barred from entering the courtroom, limiting access to proceedings.
His counsel, Ubong Akpan, declined comments when approached by reporters after the session.
Sources, however, indicated that proceedings centred on preliminary matters as the case moves into substantive hearing.
The court is expected to continue hearing the matter today.
