A forensic investigator with the Department of State Services, Segun Kayode, has 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 and intermediaries.
Kayode, who testified as the first prosecution witness on Tuesday before Justice Darius Khobo at the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo, said $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for the payments.
The witness told the court that the allegation was supported by forensic audio recordings which captured conversations involving the former governor and some of his suspected associates.
According to him, the recorded conversations centred on alleged efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity, including plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius where it was reportedly under investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Kayode further alleged that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, one other individual, and Bashir El-Rufai were mentioned in the conversations, with claims that the Senior Advocate and the other individual were directed to meet one Ahmadu Sule to obtain a template previously used to liquidate another company for application to Singularity.
He also told the court that the recordings contained discussions about preventing the EFCC from investigating a company which he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, from 12:26 pm to 8:18 pm, with about two hours devoted to playing the recorded conversations, after which the defence complained that the hard copy of the witness’s findings should have been served earlier to enable proper study.
Justice Khobo, however, ruled that the defence could obtain a certified true copy of the document admitted as Exhibit One, and adjourned the case until November 30 and December 1, 2026 for continuation of cross-examination.
