ICPC Amends Charge, Drops Co-Defendant in El-Rufai Trial, Adjourns Hearing on Bail Till April 14

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, is facing a new legal battle as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned him on nine fresh charges bordering on alleged abuse of office and corruption. The arraignment took place under tight security at the Kaduna State High Court, with access restricted for journalists.

The ICPC amended its initial charge, removing Amadu Sule, who was initially a co-defendant. Sources indicate Sule was dropped due to ill health, as he is reportedly undergoing medical treatment. This leaves El-Rufai to face the prosecution alone, with his legal team reviewing the amended charges.

Details of the charges reveal serious allegations, including the alleged authorization of the release of approximately N11 billion of state funds to an unregistered entity for a light rail project that was reportedly never executed. El-Rufai is also accused of approving and receiving severance benefits far exceeding legal entitlements, mismanaging World Bank funds, and involvement in fraudulent land transactions. He has previously denied all allegations.

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the legal team would review the fresh charges before determining the next line of action