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Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed Dec. 2 for judgment in a N1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and co-respondents.
Justice Abdulmalik fixed the date after lawyers to the parties adopted their processes in the case. When the case was called, El-Rufai’s lawyer was not in court. Justice Abdulmalik then made an order deeming all the processes filed by the former governor adopted. Counsel for the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), identified and adopted all their processes, urging the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety. The IG’s lawyer, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, who represented the AGF, equally adopted their separate processes and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.
While the proceeding was ongoing, Ubong Akpan, the ex-governor’s counsel, entered the courtroom and apologised for his lateness. When the lawyer sought the permission of the court to allow him adopt his court’s documents, he was informed by the judge that his processes had already been deemed adopted. Justice Abdulmalik consequently adjourned the matter until Dec. 2 for judgment.
El-Rufai is demanding N1 billion in damages against ICPC, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation. He filed the suit, alleging that operatives of the ICPC and the police violated his rights following the search of his Abuja house on 20 February. He prayed the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on Feb. 19 at about 2 pm by the ICPC and I-G amounts to a gross violation of his fundamental rights.
He said that it was a violation of the dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.”.
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