By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

A forensic investigator with the Department  of State  Service (DSS), Segun Kayode, on Tuesday told a Kaduna State High Court that former governor Nasir El-Rufai and some of his associates allegedly earmarked $600,000 to pay officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and intermediaries.

Kayode, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial, made the allegation while testifying before the court sitting in Kawo, Kaduna, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo.

He told the court that $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for the payments, adding that forensic audio recordings captured conversations involving El-Rufai and some of his suspected associates.

According to the investigator, the conversations centred on alleged efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity.

Kayode named a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), AU Mustapha; Jimi Lawal; and Bashir El-Rufai among those allegedly mentioned in the recordings.

He further alleged that Mustapha and Lawal were directed to meet one Ahmadu Sule to obtain a template previously used to liquidate another company, with the intention of applying a similar process to Singularity.

The investigator said the discussions also covered plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius, where it was reportedly under investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.

Kayode also told the court that the recordings contained discussions about preventing the EFCC from investigating IHS, which he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

The allegations formed part of the prosecution’s evidence against the former governor and have yet to be established by the court.

Earlier, El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), challenged Kayode’s testimony, arguing that the witness’s name and summary of evidence were not included in the prosecution’s proof of evidence.

Erokoro said the omission undermined his client’s right to a fair hearing, insisting that the defence needed to know the evidence it was expected to answer to prepare adequately for the trial.

However, counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), argued that Kayode was a subpoenaed witness and that the omission did not automatically make his testimony inadmissible.

Adedipe told the court that the subpoena was issued and signed by the court on June 30, 2026. He added that the defence would have the opportunity to cross-examine the witness.

Erokoro maintained that the issue was not whether Kayode could testify but whether the defence had been given adequate notice to prepare for his evidence.

He cited Section 210 of the applicable Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, arguing that the prosecution should have served the subpoena on the defence.

In its ruling, the court acknowledged that Kayode’s name and summary of evidence were missing from the proof of evidence but noted that the records showed he had been subpoenaed.

Justice Khobo held that the omission did not automatically render the testimony inadmissible, provided the defence was allowed to cross-examine the witness.

The judge subsequently overruled the objection and directed Kayode to continue his testimony.

After Kayode submitted a hard copy of his findings to the court clerk, the defence complained that the document should have been served earlier to allow counsel to study its contents.

The judge ruled that the defence could obtain a certified true copy of the document admitted as Exhibit One for examination.

Proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, from 12:26 p.m. to 8:18 p.m., with about two hours devoted to playing the recorded conversations.

The court adjourned the case until November 30 and December 1, 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination, following an agreement between the prosecution and defence.

El-Rufai Arrives Under Tight Security

El-Rufai arrived at the court premises at about 11:50 a.m., ahead of the scheduled noon hearing, amid tight security.

He was accompanied by the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru.

His appearance followed an order by Justice Khobo directing the ICPC to produce him in court for the resumed proceedings.

The previous sitting was adjourned on Monday after the former governor was absent, following information that he had requested access to his personal physician to review medical test results.

The resumed hearing came days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s appeal challenging the refusal of bail by the state high court.

In its judgment delivered on October 9, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision, ruling that the former governor had failed to establish sufficient grounds to justify interference with the refusal of bail.

El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations of financial misconduct linked to his administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.

The Kaduna State House of Assembly had petitioned the ICPC over the alleged diversion and mismanagement of more than N423 billion in public funds during his eight-year administration.

The former governor is facing multiple cases involving allegations of money laundering, abuse of office, fraud and other financial offences before different courts.

He has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The allegations remain subject to judicial determination.