Wiretapping trial: DSS lawyer accuses El-Rufai’s family of media attacks on judiciary

Proceedings in the on-going trial of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged national security breach has taken a new turn as the Federal Government lawyer accused members of his family of weaponizing the media and attempting to incite public opinion against the judiciary over his detention and bail conditions.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, lead prosecuting counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, told the court that relatives of the former governor had repeatedly used social media and press engagements to portray the prosecution and security agencies as persecuting the defendant.

The prosecution cited an incident on May 15 where one of El-Rufai’s wives allegedly arrived at the ICPC facility with cameramen and began livestreaming claims that her husband was being denied food and access to family members.

Aladedoye further alleged that a politician, Timi Frank, also published claims suggesting that the former governor could be harmed in custody, forcing security operatives to move him to DSS custody to avoid further controversy.

According to the prosecution, the situation escalated when members of the defendant’s family, including two wives and a son, reportedly went to the DSS headquarters with journalists and publicly criticized the court’s bail conditions.

Aladedoye argued that rather than pursue legal channels, the family resorted to media campaigns capable of undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

The prosecution therefore urged the court to caution the defendant and his family against further public attacks, insisting that the matter before the court was a criminal prosecution and not a political persecution.

Responding, the defence counsel said he was unaware of the allegations raised by the prosecution and maintained that the defendant himself should not be held responsible for comments made outside the courtroom.

He however noted that the defence would advise family members and sympathizers to exercise restraint.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while reacting, stated that she pays no attention to social media narratives and stressed that issues circulating online should remain outside courtroom proceedings. The judge subsequently directed that the trial continue.

Proceedings later resumed with the prosecution tendering a silver flash drive and a certificate of compliance, admitted as Exhibits B and B1, respectively.

The court then moved to preview the contents of the flash drive said to contain an interview granted by El-Rufai to Arise News Television.