By Taiye Agbaje
The Department of State Services (DSS)’ witness on Tuesday said that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, confirmed that the conversation referenced by former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, in a media interview, indeed took place between them.
NAIJAONPOINT , identified as “APC” for security reasons, made this statement in his evidence before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
APC, who is the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told the court that following the broadcast, investigators interviewed the NSA who verbally confirmed that he actually had such discussion with the ICPC chairman, Musa Aliyu.
The DSS lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, then sought to tender the silver flash drive containing the media interview and a certificate of compliance in evidence.
Aladedoye, who led NAIJAONPOINT in evidence, said the flash drive was a replacement for the one that was faulty the previous day, which the court admitted in evidence.
The judge then directed that the video in the flash drive, containing an interview granted by El-Rufai to Arise News, be played in open cout.
The 43-minute long recorded video where the ex-governor allegedly stated that someone had wiretapped a conversation involving the NSA and forwarded it to him, was played.
In the interview, El-Rufai made efforts to justify the act by arguing that governments routinely monitor communications.
The PW-1, who started giving evidence on Monday, said shortly after the interview was aired, investigators interviewed Ribadu and Aliyu.
NAIJAONPOINT said the anchor of the programme, Charles Aniagolu; a lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and a cameraman were invited for questioning.
NAIJAONPOINT said Aniagolu confirmed that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that someone intercepted the conversation and passed it to him
He said Aniagolu admitted that the former governor insisted during the interview that governments engage in such practices regularly.
Aladedoye later tendered statements obtained from Aniagolu and Adeyanju, which were admitted by the judge in evidence and marked as exhibits, without objection from the defence.
The judge also admitted another statement made by an Arise TV cameraman, Ugochukwu Agalayana, in evidence and marked as exhibit.
NAIJAONPOINT said investigators concluded that El-Rufai made what they described as an “open confession” during the television interview regarding the interception of the NSA’s conversation.
He added that the investigation team considered the act capable of undermining national security and subsequently recommended prosecution.
The prosecution counsel further tendered a preliminary investigation report, which the court also admitted in evidence and marked as exhibit.
While being cross-examined by Paul Erokoro, SAN, who took over from E. E. Ekere), NAIJAONPOINT said he did not examine any communication device belonging to the NSA, obtain IP addresses or conduct forensic analysis of the alleged interception.
NAIJAONPOINT told the Court that such steps were no longer necessary after the NSA confirmed the authenticity of the conversation referenced in the interview.
He admitted that El-Rufai did not specifically state during the interview, that he personally carried out the interception.
The PW-1, however, insisted that the former governor repeatedly stood by the claim that the conversation was tapped and forwarded to him.