A prosecution witness has alleged that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and some associates discussed setting aside $600,000 for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and intermediaries. This forms the basis of the El-Rufai EFCC payment allegation now in court.
According to The PUNCH, the allegation emerged on Tuesday during El-Rufai’s ongoing trial before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court in Kawo. The El-Rufai EFCC payment allegation signifies a critical development in this high-profile case.
The witness, State Security Service forensic investigator Segun Kayode, told the court that audio recordings allegedly captured conversations about the proposed payments related to the El-Rufai EFCC payment allegation.
Kayode claimed that the funds included separate amounts of $500,000 and $100,000.
Investigator presents alleged recordings
The witness explained that the conversations reportedly involved attempts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity.
He also mentioned several individuals allegedly connected to the discussions, including senior lawyer AU Mustapha, Jimi Lawal and Bashir El-Rufai.
Kayode claimed that some of the conversations concerned plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius.
He further alleged that the recordings included discussions about preventing investigations into another company, IHS.
The court proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, with approximately two hours devoted to playing the recordings.
El-Rufai’s lawyers challenge witness
The former governor’s lead counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, objected to Kayode’s testimony during the hearing on the El-Rufai EFCC payment allegation.
He argued that the prosecution had not included the witness’s name and evidence summary in the materials previously supplied to the defence.
Erokoro maintained that the omission affected his client’s right to prepare an adequate defence.
However, prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, argued that Kayode was appearing under a court-issued subpoena.
He insisted that the defence would have an opportunity to cross-examine the witness.
The disputed payments remain allegations presented during an ongoing trial.
The court has not determined that El-Rufai or any of the named individuals made the alleged payments or committed the offences described by the witness. Nevertheless, it is clear that the El-Rufai EFCC payment allegation is central to these proceedings.
