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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has opposed a bail application filed by Jimi Lawal, the second defendant in the alleged financial misconduct case involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
One of the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Mukhtar, disclosed this on Wednesday after proceedings at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Justice Hauwa’u Buhari adjourned the hearing of Lawal’s bail application until Friday, October 16, 2026, while the substantive trial was fixed for December 8, 2026.
Mukhtar said the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application but had yet to present its arguments before the court.
“We have already filed a counter-affidavit to it. So, we are opposing the application,” he said.
He declined to disclose the grounds for opposing the application, explaining that the prosecution had not yet moved its counter-affidavit before the court.
Defence Cites Medical Grounds For Bail
During the proceedings, counsel to Lawal urged the court to grant him bail on medical grounds, arguing that his health condition justified his release.
The defence also argued that the prosecution should not oppose his release after previously granting him administrative bail.
Counsel maintained that the medical grounds presented in the application warranted bail.
However, the court adjourned the matter to allow further consideration of the application.
Substantive Trial Fixed For December
Mukhtar said the charges against El-Rufai and Lawal concerned alleged financial misconduct and involved about seven counts.
He noted that the substantive trial had not commenced and that no witnesses had been presented before the court.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai’s counsel, Mustapha Abubakar, SAN, said new prosecution counsel had announced an appearance and requested time to study the case.
Abubakar explained that his defence team was also newly appearing in the matter and supported the request for an adjournment to enable it to take over the brief from the previous counsel.
He said the substantive case was consequently adjourned until December 8, 2026.
Further Processes Before The Court
On Lawal’s bail application, Abubakar said the relevant court processes, including the motion, the prosecution’s counter-affidavit and the defence’s further affidavit, were before the court.
He added that the prosecution requested more time to study the further affidavit, which had been served on it that day.
According to Abubakar, Lawal’s counsel agreed to the adjournment in the interest of fair hearing, although the bail application had already been moved.
The court is expected to hear the bail application on October 16, while proceedings in the substantive case are scheduled to begin on December 8, 2026.
The allegations against the defendants remain subject to determination by the court.
