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The United States Court in Tacoma, Washington, has ruled that Abdemi Rufai. the suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State cannot be released on bail.
Rufai is facing $350,000 fraud charges in the United States.
On Friday, U.S. District judge of Tacoma, Benjamin Settle, agreed with federal prosecutors that Rufai represented a flight risk, therefore he will remain in jail until his trial.
Settle said the “defendant poses a serious risk of non-appearance. No condition or combination of conditions can reasonably assure the defendant’s appearance as required,” Seattle Times reports.
The judge aslo ordered that Rufai, who is in detention in New York, be transported by federal marshals to Washington for trial, which is scheduled for August 31.
The court’s ruling comes after acting US Attorney, Tessa Gorma, accused Rufai of participating in fraudulent surety scheme.
Rufai was said to have presented a person he barely knew to the court as his friend, in his desperate bid to get a surety for the bail earlier granted him by a U.S. magistrate’s court.
The government said it got a transcript of a recorded call between Rufai and his brother, discussing the surety matter on May 25, four days after a hearing on his detention.
Responding to the claims, Rufai, through his lawyer, Michael Barrows, said the government failed to establish the allegations against his client.
(premiumtimes.ng)