A forensic investigator with the Department of State Services (DSS), Segun Kayode, on Tuesday alleged that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and some of his associates earmarked $600,000 to pay officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and intermediaries in an alleged attempt to frustrate an investigation into a company identified as Singularity.
Kayode, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial, made the allegation while testifying before the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo, Kaduna, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo.
The witness told the court that $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for the payments.
According to Kayode, forensic audio recordings captured conversations involving El-Rufai and some of his suspected associates discussing alleged efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into Singularity.
He told the court that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), another individual and Bashir El-Rufai were among those allegedly mentioned in the recorded conversations.
The investigator further alleged that the SAN and the other individual were directed to meet one Ahmadu Sule to obtain a template previously used to liquidate another company.
According to the witness, the alleged plan was to use the template to facilitate the liquidation of Singularity.
Kayode also alleged that the discussions included plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius, where it was reportedly under investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
He told the court that the recordings contained conversations about efforts to prevent the EFCC from investigating a company he described as listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The allegations were presented as part of the prosecution’s evidence in the ongoing proceedings. The claims have yet to be established by the court, and the witness is expected to face cross-examination by the defence.
Proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, from 12:26pm to 8:18pm, with approximately two hours devoted to playing the recorded conversations in court.
Earlier, El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), objected to Kayode’s testimony, arguing that the witness’s name and summary of evidence were not included in the prosecution’s proof of evidence.
Erokoro argued that the omission undermined his client’s right to a fair hearing, maintaining that the defence was entitled to know the evidence it was expected to answer to enable it to prepare adequately.
However, counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), opposed the objection, arguing that Kayode was a subpoenaed witness and that the omission did not automatically render his testimony inadmissible.
Adedipe told the court that the subpoena was issued and signed by the court on June 30, 2026, adding that the defence would have the opportunity to cross-examine the witness.
He also cited judicial authorities in support of the prosecution’s position.
Responding, Erokoro maintained that the dispute was not simply about whether the witness could testify but whether the defence had been adequately informed of his evidence to prepare its case.
The defence counsel relied on Section 210 of the applicable Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, arguing that the prosecution should have served the subpoena on the defence.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged that Kayode’s name and summary of evidence were absent from the proof of evidence but held that the records showed he had been subpoenaed.
Justice Khobo ruled that the omission did not automatically make the witness’s testimony inadmissible, provided the defence was given the opportunity to cross-examine him.
After Kayode submitted a hard copy of his findings to the court clerk, the defence raised another objection, complaining that the document should have been served earlier to allow the lawyers sufficient time to study its contents.
The judge, however, ruled that the defence could obtain a certified true copy of the document admitted as Exhibit One for examination.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until November 30 and December 1, 2026, for the continuation of the cross-examination, following an agreement between the prosecution and the defence.
El-Rufai arrived at the court premises at approximately 11:50am, ahead of the scheduled noon hearing, amid tight security.
He was accompanied by Isah Ashiru, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State.
His appearance followed an order by Justice Khobo directing the ICPC to produce him in court for the resumed proceedings.
The hearing took place days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s appeal challenging the state high court’s refusal to grant him bail.
In its judgment delivered on October 9, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision, ruling that the former governor had failed to establish sufficient grounds to warrant interference with the refusal of bail.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations of financial misconduct linked to his administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
Tuesday’s proceedings marked another development in the case, with the prosecution presenting forensic recordings and the investigator’s findings as the defence continued to challenge aspects of the evidence and the circumstances under which the witness was called.
The case is scheduled to resume on November 30 and December 1, 2026, when the defence is expected to continue its cross-examination of Kayode.