The trial of a former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of treason and breach of national security continued on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution presented evidence to support its claim that the former governor received an intercepted private conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
As part of its case, the prosecution played a 43-minute television interview in court, during which El-Rufai allegedly said someone wiretapped a conversation involving the NSA and forwarded it to him.
The former governor was also said to have defended the alleged interception during the interview, reportedly arguing that governments routinely monitor communications.
Witness Says NSA Confirmed Conversation
A prosecution witness told the court that investigators took steps to verify the content of the interview after it was broadcast.
According to the witness, the National Security Adviser was interviewed by investigators and verbally confirmed that the conversation referred to by El-Rufai had indeed taken place.
The witness said the discussion was between the NSA and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The prosecution witness also told the court that the ICPC chairman confirmed having such a discussion with the NSA after portions of the interview were played to him.
The court was further told that the television anchor, Charles Aniagolu, activist-lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and a cameraman were invited for questioning by investigators.
According to the witness, Aniagolu confirmed that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that someone intercepted the conversation and passed it to him.
The anchor was also said to have confirmed that El-Rufai maintained during the broadcast that governments regularly carry out such surveillance activities.
The prosecution tendered statements obtained from Aniagolu and Adeyanju.
The court admitted the statements as Exhibits C, C1 and E, respectively, without objection from the defence.
Another statement obtained from the cameraman, Ugochukwu Agalayana, was also tendered by the prosecution.
The court admitted it as Exhibit D after Agalayana confirmed that he set up the equipment used during the interview.
He, however, said he did not pay attention to the actual conversation that took place during the programme.
The prosecution witness said investigators later concluded that El-Rufai made what they considered an “open confession” during the television interview regarding the interception of the NSA’s conversation.
According to the witness, the investigation team viewed the alleged act as capable of undermining national security and subsequently recommended prosecution.
A preliminary investigation report tendered by the prosecution was admitted by the court as Exhibit F.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that during cross-examination, El-Rufai’s counsel, Paul Erokoro, challenged the scope of the investigation conducted by the prosecution.
The witness admitted that he did not examine any communication devices belonging to the NSA.
He also acknowledged that investigators did not obtain IP addresses or carry out a forensic analysis of the alleged interception.
The witness, however, maintained that such steps became unnecessary after the NSA reportedly confirmed the authenticity of the conversation mentioned in the interview.
Witness Admits El-Rufai Did Not Claim He Tapped Call
Under further questioning, the prosecution witness agreed that El-Rufai did not specifically say during the interview that he personally intercepted the NSA’s conversation.
He, however, insisted that the former governor repeatedly stood by the claim that the conversation had been tapped and forwarded to him.
When asked whether El-Rufai could merely have been boasting during a politically charged television appearance, the witness replied that he considered the former governor “a person of integrity” and believed he meant what he said during the broadcast.
After the conclusion of the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned further hearing in the matter till June 22 and 23.
The adjournment is expected to allow the prosecution to call more witnesses and continue presenting its case against the former governor.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that El-Rufai is facing trial over allegations bordering on treason and breach of national security, allegations he is expected to contest as the proceedings continue.