The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Nasir El-Rufai for allegedly accessing the telephone conversation of Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA).
The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is being prosecuted on a five-count amended charge before a federal high court in Abuja.
At the commencement of proceedings on Thursday, the prosecution informed the court that the charge had been amended from three to five counts.
Consequently, Joyce Abdulmalik, the presiding judge, struck out the previous charges.
El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the five-count amended charge.
Bail Application Stalled
After El-Rufai pleaded not guilty, Oluwole Aladeloye, counsel to the DSS, requested trial dates.
Objecting, Oluwole Iyamu, counsel to El-Rufai, said he needed to consult with his client, who had been in the custody of multiple security agencies.
Iyamu told the court that a bail application had been filed on February 17 and that a further affidavit was recently submitted.
However, Abdulmalik said the further affidavit was not in her docket.
The judge stated that Iyamu should have exercised due diligence in filing the process rather than engaging in “Nollywood theatrics” involving camera personnel in her courtroom.
The defence counsel said he did not invite the camera personnel.
The judge then stood down the matter to allow the issue of the further affidavit to be resolved.
Background
In February, during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, El-Rufai alleged that someone had wiretapped Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to listen to the NSA instruct security operatives to arrest him.
He said: “He made the call because we listened to their calls. The government thinks they are the only ones who listen to calls, but we also have our ways. He made the call and gave the order.
“Someone tapped his phone. The government listens to our calls all the time without a court order. Someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”
