Stories by Steve Aya
The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed the attraction filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, difficult the choice of the Kaduna State High Court refusing his bail software.
In its judgement delivered on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Appeal No. CA/Okay/254C/2026, the appellate court docket affirmed that the trial court docket exercised its discretion judicially and judiciously, in refusing the previous Governor’s bail software.
The court docket held that El-Rufai’s attraction lacked benefit, and located no miscarriage of justice within the trial Judge’s determination.
The appellate court docket additionally discovered deficiencies, within the affidavit the previous Governor relied on to hunt bail. It held that the decrease court docket’s findings, supplied no enough grounds for appellate interference.
During proceedings, Counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ayodeji Adedipe, had argued that Mallam El-Rufai beforehand filed three separate bail purposes earlier than the trial court docket, all of which had been refused.
The prosecution maintained that the previous Governor failed to determine enough grounds, to warrant overturning the trial court docket’s determination.
However, Mallam El-Rufai’s Counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, argued that the offences had been bailable, and that his shopper’s continued detention may undermine his capability to arrange an efficient defence.
In dismissing the attraction, the Court of Appeal upheld the decrease court docket’s ruling, successfully sustaining the refusal of bail pending additional proceedings.
The determination represents one other important judicial growth within the ongoing prosecution of the previous Governor, over alleged monetary infractions linked to his administration.
The substantive trial is scheduled to begin on October 12, 2026.
Mallam El-Rufai has denied wrongdoing, and the allegations in opposition to him stay topic to judicial willpower.
