The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested Bello Abubakar, a personal physician of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged false statements made during a court-approved medical visit for the former governor.
The anti-corruption agency also accused Mr El-Rufai of abusing the court-approved hospital visit by allegedly receiving political associates while he was expected to undergo medical consultation, describing the development as a violation of the court’s order.
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The allegations are contained in a statement issued by the commission on Tuesday.
According to the ICPC, the Kaduna State High Court had scheduled 6, 7 and 8 July for an accelerated hearing of criminal charges pending against the former governor. However, Mr El-Rufai did not appear in court on the first day of proceedings.
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The commission said its counsel informed the court that when officers prepared to take the former governor to court from custody, he declined to accompany them, insisting that he wanted to see his personal physician.
According to the ICPC, no prior request for the medical consultation had been made. It added that when its medical personnel asked Mr El-Rufai about his condition, he reportedly said he had no immediate medical complaint but explained that his wife, Asia El-Rufai, who is also one of his lawyers, had requested that he consult Mr Abubakar.
The commission said that after hearing submissions from both parties, the court adjourned proceedings until 15 July to hear Mr El-Rufai’s application seeking the trial judge’s recusal and to await the directive of the Kaduna State Chief Judge on a pending petition seeking the transfer of the case.
Despite the adjournment, the ICPC said it approved the defendant’s request for medical attention in compliance with the court’s directive and its obligation to respect the rights and welfare of persons in custody.
According to the commission, Mr El-Rufai was taken to the private wing of the National Hospital in Abuja on Tuesday under security escort. It said its medical and security personnel remained outside the consultation room at the request of the former governor’s family to allow him privacy during the examination.
However, the ICPC alleged that it later discovered photographs posted on Facebook by one of Mr El-Rufai’s political associates, Isa Ashiru Kudan, showing the former governor in the company of Mr Abubakar, Mr Kudan and three other individuals.
The commission said the Facebook post indicated that the hospital visit had been used for activities beyond the medical consultation approved by the court.
“The arranged medical visit was utilised for activities outside the scope contemplated by the court and the ICPC,” the commission said, describing the development as a violation of the court’s order.
The anti-graft agency said it would bring the matter to the attention of the court, adding that the professional courtesies extended to Mr El-Rufai while in custody had been abused.
It also announced that Mr Abubakar, a professor, had been taken into custody for further investigation over alleged false statements.
The commission maintained that it would continue to operate within the law while insisting it would not tolerate what it described as the abuse of its goodwill by any individual or group.
Background
Mr El-Rufai is facing multiple criminal cases instituted by the ICPC in Kaduna and at the Federal High Court. He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The opposition leader has also repeatedly accused the federal government and the Kaduna government of using the allegations to stifle him and keep him in detention.
PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the former governor was arraigned over allegations including abuse of office, fraud, money laundering and procurement-related offences in separate proceedings, while he is also facing a separate federal prosecution over alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications.
According to the amended charges, Mr El-Rufai, while serving as governor of Kaduna State, allegedly approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis at a reviewed cost of N8.68 billion.
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The commission alleged that the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company it claimed lacked the requisite experience and qualifications for the project, in violation of public procurement laws.
It further alleged that proceeds arising from the transaction were subsequently transferred through several companies and individuals.
The anti-corruption agency said the charges include allegations relating to the possession, receipt and movement of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Messrs El-Rufai and co-defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.
