Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, submitted a bail plea, but the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday postponed the hearing until March 31.
Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, the presiding judge, set the date on Tuesday after hearing arguments from the prosecution and defense.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) charged El-Rufai with ten counts that included allegations of money laundering and conversion of public property.
However, the former governor entered a not guilty plea to each and every accusation.
Ukpon Akpan, the defense attorney, had earlier asked the court to allow his client bail so he could prepare his defense.
Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the prosecution’s attorney, rejected the request, claiming that granting bail might impede existing investigations.
The court ordered the defendant to stay in ICPC custody and postponed the bail application hearing until March 31 in response to the representations.
Defense attorney Ubong Akpan told reporters during the proceedings that the charges against his client mostly concerned the monetization of his profits and transfers into his domiciliary account.
He said that the court session was unremarkable and that the bail application hearing was the only reason for the adjournment.
During his time as governor, El-Rufai was accused by the ICPC of receiving illicit financial benefits and unusual inflows into his bank accounts.
The ICPC claimed in Counts 1 and 2 that the former governor received a severance allowance of ₦289.8 million in September 2020 and January 2023, which was significantly more than the legally permitted ₦20 million, or 300% of his yearly base salary.
In violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the prosecution claims he knew or reasonably should have known that the extra amount represented proceeds of corruption.
Multiple foreign cash deposits into Mr. El-Rufai’s Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account between 2016 and 2023 were detailed in counts 3 through 9.
These include distinct contributions ranging from 4,000 to 305,300 dollars from various people, some of whom are reportedly at large, as well as 320,800 dollars purportedly paid in tranches by one Joel Adoga.
The ICPC claimed that the money was obtained by the defendant when he was a public official and was the result of fraud and corruption.
In Count 10, the prosecution charged Mr. El-Rufai and Mr. Adoga with conspiring in July 2019 to conceal the source of a $10,000 deposit made into the former governor’s account, allegedly in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
El-Rufai was brought into custody by the ICPC after being freed by the EFCC on February 19.
