Dasuki trial aborted as FG fails to produce former NSA in court

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Federal Government has once again failed to produce the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) before the High-Court in Abuja for trial in charges of money laundering and breach of trust brought against him and others since 2015.

Dasuki was charged with five others before Justice Peter Affen, as were granted bail when he was first arraigned but later re-arrested and has been in custody of the Department of the State Services, DSS, since December 2015.

The names of the others who are being prosecuted with respect to charges of diversion of funds, include a former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Finance Minister of State, Bashir Yuguda; a former Sokoto Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, the ex-governor’s son, Sagir Attahiru, and a firm, Dalhatu Investment.

During the trial, the counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacob disclosed to the judge that he was surprised that Dasuki who was the second defendant in the charge was not brought to court by his client (FG).

The counsel revealed that he notified the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the trial and the need to produce Dasuki in court but claims that communication gap between the EFCC and DSS was responsible for non-production of the former NSA in court.

Jacob later applied to Justice Affen to stand down the case for him to enable his client to produce the former NSA in court but he could not give a definite period within which the EFCC would bring the Dasuki to court.

The prosecution angered reactions from Chief Olajide Ayodele (SAN) counsel to former Minister of State for Finance, Mallam Bashir Yuguda, as he opposed the request of Rotimi Jacob for stand down on the ground that the request if granted would not serve any useful purpose.

The senior counsel claims the failure of the prosecution to give a definite time within which Dasuki can be brought to court by either EFCC or DSS was an indication that he has no knowledge of what was transferring between the EFCC and DSS on the matter.

Olajide pleaded with the judge to grant an adjournment in the trial.

The position of the counsel was adopted by Mr. Jacob Daudu (SAN) it regretted that the government which put the former NSA on trial was the one scuttling the trial.

Daudu revealed that since June 2016 when the matter was adjourned, the EFCC ought to have known that it its responsibility to produce Dasuki in Court as required by the law.

In his ruling,Justice Affen agreed that it would be unfair to stand down the case without being giving the definite time within which Dasuki could be produced in court.

The Judge counselled the Federal Government to do the needful to help the prosecution counsel by ensuring regular attendance of the Ex-NSA in court and adjourned the matter till October 21, 2016.

Recall that Federal government in December 2015 had arraigned Dasuki and others on a 22-counts charge of diversion of funds for arms and military equipment before an FCT High Court in Abuja.

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