Kaduna High Court Denies El-Rufai’s Medical Bail Application

The High Court of Kaduna State has dismissed the third bail application filed by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the ongoing corruption trial initiated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

In a ruling delivered on June 29, 2026, Justice D. H. Khobo rejected the application, which sought bail on medical grounds. The court’s decision centered on a medical report presented by the defense, marked as Exhibit “A”, which purportedly originated from the National Hospital, Abuja.

The document claimed that the former governor had been diagnosed with advanced metastatic prostate cancer, a condition it asserted required specialised treatment unavailable within Nigeria. However, the ICPC challenged the authenticity of the report by presenting documentary evidence from the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Prof. Muhammad Mahmud.

According to the hospital’s official response, a comprehensive search of its electronic medical records and patient indexes yielded no evidence that the defendant had ever been treated at the facility.

The hospital further clarified that the report was issued without the knowledge or authorisation of its management.

Justice Khobo held that the credibility of the medical report had been “fundamentally undermined.”

The court ruled that a document disowned by the institution on which it was purportedly letterheaded could not serve as a valid foundation for granting bail.

Consequently, the court found no reliable evidence to justify exercising its judicial discretion in favor of the applicant.

While denying the bail request, the court issued directives to ensure the defendant’s health is managed while in custody.

Justice Khobo ordered the ICPC to continue providing the defendant with unrestricted access to his personal physicians.

Furthermore, the commission is mandated to facilitate the defendant’s transport to any specialised diagnostic or clinical facility of his choice within Nigeria, as required by his medical needs, throughout the duration of the trial.

The ICPC has welcomed the ruling, describing it as a reaffirmation that bail applications based on health grounds must be supported by “credible and verifiable evidence.”