A Kaduna High Court has dismissed a fresh bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai in his ongoing corruption case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Justice Darius Khobo, who is presiding over the matter, on Monday turned down the former governor’s third request for bail.
According to a statement issued by the ICPC, El-Rufai based his latest application on health grounds.
The commission said the application relied on a medical report identified as “Exhibit A”, which was purportedly issued by the National Hospital in Abuja. The document claimed that the former governor had been diagnosed with advanced metastatic prostate cancer and required specialised treatment that was allegedly unavailable in Nigeria.
During the hearing, the ICPC presented documentary evidence from the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital Abuja, Muhammad Raji Mahmud.
The anti-graft agency said the hospital’s records showed there was no evidence that El-Rufai had ever received treatment at the facility. According to the documents tendered in court, searches of the hospital’s electronic database and patient records found no hospital number, medical file, consultation history or billing record linked to the former governor.
The commission further stated that the hospital’s management disowned the medical report, saying it was issued without its knowledge or approval.
In his ruling, Justice Khobo held that a medical report rejected by the institution said to have issued it could not be relied upon in determining the bail application.
The court, however, directed the ICPC to allow El-Rufai unrestricted access to his personal doctors and to escort him to any specialist medical or diagnostic facility of his choice within Nigeria whenever necessary during the trial.
El-Rufai is facing a nine-count charge filed by the ICPC over allegations of conferring benefits by false pretences and the dishonest disposal of loan funds.
The former governor pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
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The court had earlier refused his bail application in April, ruling that it was in the interest of justice for him to remain in custody to ensure his availability for trial.
Apart from the Kaduna High Court proceedings, the ICPC is also prosecuting El-Rufai in a separate case before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The former governor has remained in ICPC custody since February 19 after being released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was temporarily released in March to attend his mother’s burial before returning to custody.