The Federal High Court in Kaduna has granted former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, permission to receive medical treatment while in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The ruling followed an application by El-Rufai’s legal team during proceedings in his ongoing trial over alleged money laundering and corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai is standing trial alongside a co-defendant, Joel Adoga, on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged possession and conversion of proceeds of corruption, as well as money laundering offences said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendants had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the ICPC, John Odey, the defence counsel appealed to the court to allow the former governor access to medical attention, particularly for dental and eye treatment.
The defence specifically requested that El-Rufai be permitted to visit Mile Dental Clinic and Skipper Eye-Q Hospital, both located in Abuja.
Ruling on the application, Justice Aikawa granted the request and directed the anti-graft agency to escort the former governor to the designated medical facilities under strict supervision whenever treatment becomes necessary.
The court further ordered that El-Rufai be returned to custody immediately after each medical appointment.
According to the ICPC, the court emphasised that all movements relating to the medical visits must remain under the agency’s supervision.
Odey stated that the commission would comply fully with the court’s directives while maintaining lawful custody of the defendant pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
El-Rufai had earlier been granted bail in the sum of N200m with two sureties in like sum, while the administrative bail granted to the second defendant was also adopted by the court.
The matter was adjourned for ruling on the application seeking a variation of the bail conditions.
