Abuse Of Office: Court Reviews El Rufai’s Bail Conditions

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Sadiq Umar on Thursday reviewed the bail it granted former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el Rufai following the failure of the former minister to show up before the court for his trial.

The court had last Tuesday threatened to issue a bench warrant against the former minister if he fails to show up on the next adjourned date but was not able to do so at the resumed trial on Thursday following a passionate appeal made to it by counsel to the former minister, Chief Akin Olujinmi, a senior advocate of Nigeria.

The lawyer pleaded with the court not to punish the former minister on account of an error he made.

He told the court that he had written a letter to the court on behalf of the ex-minister to seek for an alternative date for the scheduled trial but forgot to remind him to be in court.

The senior advocate stated that he erroneously thought that the issue of taking a date would have been sorted out at the court’s registry without requiring the presence of the former minister who is standing trial over an alleged abuse of office alongside Mrs Altine Jibrin and Mr. Ismaila Iro both former Director General abd General Manager of the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS).

He profusely pleaded with the court to be restrained in issuing a bench warrant against his client as his absence was not in any way calculated to diminish the integrity of the court.

The prosecution counsel, Chief Adebayo Adelodun, while conceding that the sins of a legal counsel should not be visited on the accused person, however, urged the court to take steps to ensure the presence of the accused person on the next adjourned date.

Consequent upon his submissions, Justice Umar reviewed the bail which he granted to the former minister on self recognition and ordered that el Rufai should produce two sureties who would depose to affidavits guaranteeing his presence to attend his trial.

Meanwhile, the former minister had filed an application seeking to quash the charges slammed against him by the anti-graft agency, saying that the evidence contained in the proof of evidence attached to his charge are not sufficient to sustain the charge.

Hearing of that application is slated for  23 June.

By Nnamdi Felix / Abuja