The Kaduna division of the Court of Appeal has denied the appeal brought by the immediate-past governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, appealing the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court denying him bail.
Channels TV says that the Appellate Court in Appeal Number CA/K/254C/2026 upheld the decision of the lower court, saying the trial Judge prudently and judicially exercised his discretion as there was no miscarriage of justice.
The three-member appellate panel found in a unanimous judgement that El-Rufai did not demonstrate new facts or unusual circumstances to support the interference of the lower court’s decision to refuse him bail.
In the Certified True Copy of the judgement handed by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, it was held that the finding of the Kaduna State High Court which dismissed the second bail plea by the former governor on June 10, 2026 was correct.
The Court also struck out the appellant’s reply brief filed on September 29 calling it as incompetent. The Court resolved the only matter for determination against El-Rufai and in favour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Appellate Court held that it would not interfere with the findings of fact made by the trial court where such findings had not been shown to be perverse and dismissed the appeal as having no merit.
The substantive trial is set to begin on October 12, 2026.
The development comes days after Justice Darious Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court dismissed El-Rufai’s bail and recusal applications.
El-Rufai has been in imprisonment for close to eight months having been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February 18, 2026.
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