The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight count corruption charges.

El-Rufai who was docked along with two others on Wednesday May, 12, 2010, however pleaded not quilty when the charges were read to him. Others arraigned with him were Altine Jubrin, former Director General, Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, and Ismaila Iro, former General Manager, AGIS.

After taking their plea, counsel to the accused moved the motion for their bail. The trial judge however granted their bail application with conditions. They are to produce N100 million bond each, and a surety with a landed property worth N50 million each. 

The judge also ruled that the three accused persons should be remanded in EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions.

Earlier, Justice Adamu, while ruling on an application filed by Akin Olujimi, SAN, counsel to the first accused person, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, challenging the ruling of the court which granted an order to the prosecution to paste the charges on El-Rufai’s Abuja residence, said “the court has the power to grant the order it granted. The order was to facilitate the appearance of the accused person in court. It was granted within the jurisdiction of the court. The court can not set it aside. The only remedy left for the applicant is for them to appeal”

While El-Rufai is facing an eight count charge of criminal conspiracy and abuse of office while he held sway as the FCT minister, the two others are facing a three count charge of abuse of office and criminal conspiracy. The case has been adjourned till June 22, 2010 for trial.

Part of the charges reads
“That you  Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) between 13th day of December, 2003 and 14th of December, 2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of Federal capital territory, Abuja in the course of and or in the performance of your official duties as the Minister of  the federal Capital Territory  did use your said Office and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advantage on your relation to wit your wife Hadiza Ahmed El-Rufai by reallocating to her parts of the parcel of land known as plot No 1201, Asokoro District (A4) Abuja, originally allocated in the Federal Capital Territory Master plan to power Holding company of Nigeria Plc for the construction of transmitting/ injection sub-stations which fully and /or intentionally revoked for that purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt and Other related Offences act, 2000.

 “That you Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) between 13th day of December, 2003 and 14th day of December, 2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of Federal Territory, Abuja in the course of and /or in the performance of your official duties as the Ministry of the Federal capital Territory did use your said Office and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advantage on your relation to wit: your wife Asia Ahmed El-Rufai by reallocating to her parts of the parcel of land known as Federal Capital Territory Master plan to Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc for the construction of transmitting/ injection sub-stations which allocation you had wrongfully and / or intentionally revoked for that purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the corrupt Practices and other related offences act; 2000.

 “That you Mallam  Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) between 13th of December, 2003 and 14th day of December, 2007 or thereabout  at the Ministry of Federal capital Territory, Abuja in the course and  / or in the performance of your said Office and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advant6age on your associates to wit : M oil Limited, Philip Daudu, Siadu Samila, Iyabo- Obasanjo Bello, Jemila Alhassan and Bello Sani by reallocating to them parts of the parcel of land known as plot No 1201, Asokoro District (A4) Abuja, originally allocated in the Federal Capital Territory Master plan to Power holding Company of Nigeria Plc for the construction of transmitting / injection sub-stations which allocation you had unlawfully and / or deliberately revoked for that purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

 “That you Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) between 13th day of December, 2003 and 14th Day of December, 2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory did use your said Office and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advantage on Altine Jubrin and Ismail Iro (both public officers, of the federal Capital Development Authority) by reallocating to them parts of the parcel of land known as plot No 1201, Asokoro District (A4) Abuja, originally allocated in the Federal Capital Territory Master plan to Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc for the construction of transmitting / injection sub-stations which allocation you had unlawfully and / or deliberately revoked for that purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt practices and Other Related Offences Act,2000.

 “That you Mallam Nasir Ahmed EL-Rufai  (M) Altine Jubril ( F) and Ismaila Iro ( M ) between 13th  December, 2003and 14th day of December,2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of Federal capital Territory, Abuja and in performance of your official duty as public officers, being the Minister of federal capital Abuja, the Director General , Abuja Geographic information System ( AGIS ) and the general manager, Abuja Geographic Information system ( AGIS ) respectively did engage in criminal conspiracy to commit an offence to wit using your office(s) and position(S) to gratify and or confer corrupt or unfair advantage upon the relations and associates of Mallam Nasir Ahmed El- Rufai to wit ;Hadiza Ahmed El- Rufai, M oil Limited, Philip Dauda , Saidu Samaila , Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, Jamaila Alhassan, and Bello Sani by the irregular revocation and reallocation to them of the parcel of land originally belonging to Power Holding of Nigeria Plc, thereby committing an offence contrary to section to section 26 (1) ( C ) and punishable under section 19 of corrupt practices and other  Related offence Act, 2000.

 “That you Mallam Nasir Ahmed EL- Rufai ( M), Altine Jubril ( f ) and Ismaila Iro ( M) between 13th December ,2003 and 14th day of December , 2007 or thereabout at Ministry  of Federal Capital , Territory Abuja , the Director –General, Abuja Geographic Information System ( AGIS ) and the General , Abuja Geographical Information system ( AGIS ) respectively did engage in criminal conspiracy to commit an offence to wit ; using your office( S) and position (S) to gratify and or confer corrupt or unfair advantage upon one another as such Public officers , by the irregular revocation and reallocation to each other of the parcel of land originally belonging to Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc , thereby committing an offence contrary to section 26 ( 1 ) (c ) and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt practices and Other  Related Offence Art, 2000

 “That you , Mallam Nasir Ahmed El- Rufai( M ) between 13th  day of December , 2003 and 14th day of December 2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory , Abuja in the course of and or in the performance of your official duties as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory did use your  said office  and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advantage on your associate( S ) to wit ;System Property Development Consortium Limited  ( SPDC ) by reallocating to her parts of the parcel of land known as plot 3352, Maitama District Abuja , originally allocated in the federal Capital Territory master plan to Nigeria Postal Services Plc ( NIPOST )for the construction of  Maitama Post Office which allocation you had wrongfully and or intentionally revoked for that purpose , thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000

” That  you Mallam Nasir Ahmed El- Rufai ( M ) , Altine Jubrin ( F ) and  Ismaila Iro ( M ) between 13th December , 2003 and 14th day of December , 2007 or thereabout at the ministry of federal capital Territory , Abuja and in the performance of your official duties as Public Officers , being the Minister of Federal Capital Territory , Abuja , the Director General  Abuja Geographic Information System ( AGIS ) and the General Manager Abuja Geographic Information System ( AGIS ) respectively did engage in criminal conspiracy to commit an offence , to wit ; using your office ( S ) and position ( S ) to gratify and or confer corrupt or unfair advantage upon the relations and associates of Mallam Nasir Ahmed El- Rufai to wit; System Property Development Consortium limited ( SPDC ) by the irregular revocation and reallocation to them of the parcel of  land originally belonging to Nigeria Postal Services Plc ( NIPOST ) , thereby committing an offence contrary to section 26 (1 ) ( c ) and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt practices and Other Related Offence Act, 2000.”