A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El

l-Rufai, over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted the telephone line of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to April 23.

When the matter was called, prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladeloye (SAN), informed the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment. However, proceedings could not continue because the defendant was not produced in court, as the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to present him

The prosecution subsequently applied for an adjournment to allow the DSS liaise with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to ensure the defendant’s presence at the next hearing date.

Counsel to the defendant, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), expressed dissatisfaction over his client’s absence in court. He argued that if the DSS truly intended to produce El-Rufai, it would have been seamless, as the former governor was reportedly in the custody of a sister security agency.

Iyamu cited Sections 158 and 159 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and urged the court either to hear his client’s pending bail application or to order that he be produced the following day.

In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the issue of bail was premature since the defendant had not been formally arraigned before the court. She stressed that it was the responsibility of the prosecution to produce the defendant and subsequently adjourned the matter until April 23 for arraignment.