DSS arraigns El-Rufai on amended five-count charge

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday arraigned Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count amended charge bordering on an alleged breach of national security.

El-Rufai, who appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

At the resumed hearing, DSS counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the defendant to take his plea. He further disclosed that a further amended five-count charge had been filed on April 13, seeking to replace an earlier three-count charge.

Aladedoye urged the court to strike out the earlier charge and adopt the amended one, a request that was not opposed by El-Rufai’s counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN.

Following the application, the court struck out the initial three-count charge.

After the amended charge was read to him, the former governor entered a not-guilty plea. The prosecution thereafter applied for three consecutive trial dates to commence hearing.

However, the defence counsel objected, arguing that granting consecutive hearing dates may be impractical, noting that the defendant had been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which could affect access during the proposed trial period.

Iyamu also drew the court’s attention to a bail application filed on February 17, but noted that a further affidavit in support was not in the court file.

The presiding judge subsequently stood down the matter to enable the defence regularise the filing before proceeding.