A Kaduna State High Court presided over by Justice Darious Khobo on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, dismissed an objection filed by the defence team of former Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai seeking to block the testimony of a Department of State Services (DSS) digital forensic expert.
​The court ruled that the prosecution witness was legally competent and satisfied statutory requirements to present digital evidence, allowing the trial to proceed before adjourning the matter to November 30, 2026, for cross-examination.
Justice Khobo held that the defence’s concerns regarding fair hearing could be properly addressed through cross-examination. The DSS digital forensic examiner, Shegun Kayode, was subsequently cleared to deliver his findings on analyzed communication logs and audio recordings linked to the case.
During the proceedings, the DSS analyst testified that forensic analysis uncovered intercepted electronic communications and audio files allegedly detailing financial allocations intended to impede ongoing anti-corruption investigations.
Lead defence counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, accompanied by co-counsel E.E. Erokoro, SAN, had urged the court to strike out the expert’s testimony on procedural grounds, arguing non-compliance with digital evidence admissibility rules.
Prosecution counsel representing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) countered that the evidence was obtained and processed strictly in line with established evidentiary guidelines.
Following the court’s decision, defence counsel Erokoro confirmed that the defence team had begun evaluating the examiner’s statements and would proceed with cross-examination when the court reconvenes on November 30, 2026.
