KEY POINTS

• DSS arraigned Nasir El-Rufai on a five-count charge over alleged phone interception involving Nuhu Ribadu
• El-Rufai pleaded not guilty after the court struck out an earlier three-count charge
• Disagreements over trial dates and a missing bail affidavit delayed proceedings

The Department of State Services has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations that he unlawfully accessed a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is facing prosecution on an amended five-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

At the start of proceedings on Thursday, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the prosecution revealed that the charges against the defendant had been expanded from three to five counts.

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the defendant to take his plea. He added that a further amended charge had been filed on April 13 and requested that it replace the earlier three-count charge, which the court subsequently struck out.

Defence counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, confirmed receipt of the amended charge and raised no objection.

After the charges were read, El-Rufai pleaded not guilty. The prosecution then requested three consecutive dates for trial.

However, the defence opposed the request, arguing that the defendant’s current custody with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission could make access to him difficult within such a short timeframe.

Iyamu also drew the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on February 17. The proceedings were briefly stood down after it was discovered that a supporting affidavit for the bail request was not in the court file, allowing the defence to address the issue.