The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Dec. 8 for judgment in a N10 billion rights suit filed by former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
Mr El-Rufai also joined ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in the suit.
He alleged that they prevented him from having access to his wife, Aichatou Asabe; and son, Abba while in custody.
Justice Chigozie Onah fixed the date after the former govenor’s counsel, Ubong Akpan; the ICPC’s lawyer, Yetunde Mosunmola, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, who appeared for the AGF, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the case.
Earlier when the case was called, the judge ordered that the footage of the closed-circuit television, CCTV, cameras at the ICPC’s office be played for 20 minutes each by parties to prove their arguments.
The commission, led by its lawyer, demonstrated some parts of the video clip in the open court.
Parts of the footage played include the incident of July 7 where Asabe, escorted by an officer, came to deliver food to the ex-governor at about 2:37pm, the incident involving Abba and the July 4 incident.
Mosunmola then urged the court to disregard El-Rufai’s claim.
On his part, Akpan, who asked that some parts of the footage of the CCTV earlier demonstrated be replayed, argued that neither Abba (El-Rufai’s son) nor Asabe had breached any security protocol from the video evidence to warrant their denial.
After the video recording was played, the parties adopted their processes.
Adopting his court documents, Akpan said their originating process was dated and filed on Aug. 13.
He said it was supported by an originating motion, an affidavit and an exhibit attached to the eight-paragraph affidavit with a written address.
The lawyer said four additional affidavits were filed in support of their arguments, urging the court to grant all their reliefs.
Akpan, who raised a sole question for determination, prayed the court to determine whether the respondents had been able to place any material fact before the court to prove their decision to bar El-Rufai’s wife access.
He argued that if there must be a denial of access to the detained ex-govenor, there must be justification which must be verifiable.
“I, therefore, submit that non of the materials before my lord shows a verifiability and justification,” he said.
He said for the purpose of the instant case, the denial of access of his relatives would constitute a breach of the law, including the Nelson Mandela Rules.
When the judge asked him if Mandela Rules are enforceable in Nigeria, Akpan responded that it is a standard in which all law enforcement agencies in the world operate.
Mosunmola, however, disagreed with Akpan’s submissions.
She said on behalf of the ICPC and its chairman, they filed three processes in opposing the suit.
