Lawyer Abdulkareem Musa has said that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has shown clear behaviour suggesting he is not a flight risk and is willing to face trial if granted bail. Speaking during a recent interview on Trust TV, Musa explained that El-Rufai’s actions, especially his cooperation with security agencies, should strongly influence the court’s decision on his bail application......…
He pointed out that the former governor was allowed ... temporary release on compassionate grounds to attend the burial of his late mother. After completing the funeral rites, El-Rufai reportedly returned and surrendered himself back to the custody of the security agency handling his case.
According to Musa, this act demonstrates a level of responsibility and respect for legal processes. He argued that it weakens any claim that the former governor might abscond or refuse to attend court proceedings if released on bail.
Musa stated that “for a man who walked into the arm of the agency that detained him, there is sufficient evidence in my own view that he does not have the likelihood to jump bail or not attend trial.”
He further maintained that denying El-Rufai bail despite his conduct could amount to undermining his constitutional rights, particularly the presumption of innocence guaranteed under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution.
The lawyer stressed that bail is not meant to punish an accused person but to ensure their availability during trial. He added that courts should focus on imposing reasonable conditions rather than keeping defendants in prolonged detention when there is no evidence they intend to evade justice…....…
