El Rufai's trial adjourned to September

An Abuja High Court, Wednesday, adjourned the trial of Nasir El Rufai over awarding plots of lands to members of his family.

The court adjourned the trial to September 25, 2012, following the absence of counsel to one of the accused, Kanu Agabi. Mr Agabi had informed the court of his ill health prior to the trial.

He was expected to continue the cross examination of the second prosecution witness, Idowu Sunday, a police officer.

The prosecuting counsel, Adebayo Adelodun, did not oppose the application for adjournment.

Altine Jibri, the former director of Abuja Geographic Information System; and Ismaila Iro, a former Federal Capital Territory Administration official, are standing trial with Mr. El Rufai.

Mr Sunday, an inspector of police, who was formerly with the EFCC, is  testifying as second prosecution witness.

The trial of Mr. El Rufai began in 2009 when the government of Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, charged him in absentia for allegedly revoking plots of land from two government agencies and allocating them to his wives and friends. 

Mr. El Rufai, who was in exile at the time, returned to the country on  May 1, 2010 and announced that fighting the case was his priority.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, where he was initially charged quashed the charges, agreeing with Mr. El Rufai’s argument that he was being arraigned in a wrong court under a wrong law.

The government responded to this defeat by filing the case at the Abuja  High Court.

The defence is expected to continue its cross-examination of Mr. Sunday at the next hearing.