A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai at N100million with one surety in the same amount.

El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a five-count charge in which he is among others, accused of intercepting the phone conversations of the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.

In a ruling on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that the surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court’s Registry.

Justice Abdulmalik said the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of the bank within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.

She ordered El-Rufai is to deposit all valid international passports with the court.

Justice Abdulmalik also ordered that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

The judge equally ordered the defendant to report to the headquarters of the DSS every last Friday of the month by 10am to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.

She warned that failure to comply would lead to an automatic revocation of the bail.

Justice Abdulmalik ordered El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.

In another ruling, the judge granted the application by the prosecution for the shielding of the identity of its witnesses who are officials of the DSS.

She ordered that the identify of the witness from the DSS should not be disclosed in any proceeding of the court and that they shall be identified with pseudonyms.

The judge in a third ruling, rejected the application by the defence that it should be furnished with all evidence the prosecution wishes to rely on.

Justice Abdulmalik held that the prosecution is statutorily not required to furnish the defence with the gamut of the evidence it seeks to rely on.

She further held that the proof of evidence already served on the defence is sufficient.

In a fourth ruling, Justice Abdulmalik dismissed an application by the defence seeking the quashing of the further amended charge and the discharge of the defendant.

She held that Section 221 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) did not permit the filing of such an application.

The judge proceeded to grant accelerated hearing in the case.

Source: The Nation News