The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has denied restricting access to former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, maintaining that his wife, who made the claim, had arrived about 30 minutes after the official visiting time ended. In a press statement made available to TVC News Online……
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has denied restricting access to former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, maintaining that his wife, who made the claim, had arrived about 30 minutes after the official visiting time ended.
In a press statement made available to TVC News Online on Monday, the Deputy Director/Head, Media and Public Communications of the ICPC, Okor Odey, maintained that the ICPC’s Access Control Protocol, which permits visitor access between 9:00 am and 6:30 pm, has been in existence long before the current Chairman assumed office. It is a standing institutional policy that applies to all persons in custody.
Odey said that the families of all defendants and suspects in ICPC custody know of the rule, including the El-Rufai family.
“On the Friday in question, one of the defendant’s wives and a housemaid were permitted to bring food to the defendant on no fewer than three (3) occasions between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm. This is documented in the visitor register, which records the names of family members and the purpose of each visit, and is available for independent verification (see entries 11, 12, 41, 43, 49, and 50). 4. Authorised visitors — including family members, legal counsel, and medical personnel — are permitted to visit, deliver food, and consult with persons in custody. However, entry is strictly not permitted after 6:30 pm. 5.
“The woman in the video herself acknowledged that she arrived at 7:00 pm — thirty minutes after the close of the official access window. It is also on record that she has, on prior occasions, exceeded her permitted visiting duration. 6. Furthermore, the woman herself admitted in the same video that she had delivered both breakfast and lunch to her husband earlier that day, thereby contradicting the allegation that the ICPC denied him access to food.”
On the subject matter of access to medical personnel, Odey added, “The ICPC wishes to clarify that it only requested proper identification of the said personnel and confirmation from the defendant before granting supervised access — a standard security procedure. It bears mentioning that in the week preceding this incident, Malam el-Rufai had requested, and was granted, permission to visit both his dentist and eye doctor on two separate occasions. The Commission accompanied him on both visits. This is in addition to the regular access he enjoys to the Commission’s in-house medical personnel and facilities upon request. The ICPC notes with concern that the visit in question was conducted in the company of media personnel, arriving outside the approved access window.”
ICPC Director stated that the Commission will not be drawn into dramatised narratives designed to circumvent lawful institutional procedures.
“The ICPC remains focused on its mandate and will not compromise its security protocols under any circumstances,” he added.
TVC News Online reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for N100m with one surety in like sum.
