Appeal Court Orders Retrial of El-Rufai's Case Against the Senate

Abuja’s Court of Appeal yesterday ordered the Federal High Court to re-hear the human rights case filed by former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against the Senate, revoking the judgment of the lower court which had thrown out the case in 2010.

The original suit was filed in August 2008 to challenge the decisions of the Senate committee established to hold investigative public hearings on the affairs of the FCT between 1999 and 2007, which was perceived to be targeted at Mallam El-Rufai.

The committee had invited the former minister as a witness and not as a defendant, but in its report, the committee recommended punishment and other sanctions against him without informing him of the petitions against him.

Mallam El-Rufai had approached the courts to defend and uphold his rights.