Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, has indicated his intention to file a no-case submission after the Department of State Services (DSS) closed its case in his ongoing trial over alleged breach of national security.
At the proceedings on Tuesday, Oluwole Aladedoye, counsel to the DSS, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling additional witnesses.
Aladedoye said the agency was satisfied that the evidence already presented before the court was sufficient to establish the offences against the ex-minister.
Following the announcement, Paul Erokoro, counsel to el-Rufai, told the court that the defence would be filing a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to make the case for his client to enter a defence.
Erokoro sought two weeks to file the application, while the DSS requested the same period to respond.
The defence also applied for a review of the bail conditions earlier handed to el-Rufai, describing some of the requirements as difficult to fulfil.
Particularly, Erokoro argued that the conditions requiring level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna state Traditional Council, were overly stringent.
However, Aladedoye opposed the request and urged the court to retain the existing conditions.
In a ruling, Abdulmalik declined the application, holding that qualified civil servants who meet the requirements could be found.
The judge subsequently adjourned filing of the no-case submission to September 22.
El-Rufai is standing trial on a five-count amended charge filed by the DSS over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser.
During an interview on ‘Prime Time’, an Arise Television programme, el-Rufai said “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, allowing him to listen to the NSA instructing security operatives to effect his arrest.
