Again, FG fails to produce Dasuki in court for trial

Again, the Federal Government on Thursday failed to produce the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd), before the high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja for trial in money laundering charges and breach of trust.

Dasuki was first arraigned before the Federal High Court late last year for illegal possession of fire arms. He was admitted to bail but rearrested by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) probably for security reasons.

While in custody, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) filed 22-count charge against him and five others for alleged laundering of several billions of Naira meant to buy weapons for military engaged in the fight against insurgents.

Beside Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court who admitted Dasuki to bail, Justice Peter Affen of the FCT High Court also granted him bail.

While Dasuki’s accomplices including 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;  ex-governor’s son, Sagir Attahiru, and a firm- Dalhatu Investment, were in court but Dasuki was conspicuously absence.

Counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the judge that he was surprised that Dasuki who was the second defendant in the charge was not brought to court by the Federal Government.

Rotimi said that he gave EFCC notice about the adjournment and the need to produce Dasuki in court to face his trial and he believed that communication gap between the EFCC and DSS may be responsible for Dasuki absence.

Jacobs consequently applied to Justice Affen to stand down the case for him to enable his client to produce Dasuki in court.

However, Jacobs could not give a definite time within which the EFCC would bring the ex-NSA to court.

In his response, Chief Olajide Ayodele (SAN), counsel to former Minister of State for Finance, Mallam Bashir Yuguda, vehemently opposed the prosecution request for stand down on the ground that the request if granted would not serve any useful purpose.

The senior counsel said that 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 is happening between the EFCC and DSS on the matter.

Olajide therefore pleaded with the judge to grant adjournment, as a better option so as not to keep the court and the lawyers waiting till eternity.

The position of the counsel was adopted by Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) who stood for Dasuki. He expressed concern that the government which put the ex-NSA on trial was the one scuttling the trial.

Daudu said that since June 2016 when the matter was adjourned for today (Thursday), the EFCC which initiated the trial on behalf of the Federal Government ought to have known that it has responsibility to produce Dasuki in Court as required by the law.

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), who stood for former Sokoto Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, also opposed the request for stand down of the case without a definite time and pleaded for an adjournment.

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

The Judge advised the Federal Government to do the right thing that will help the prosecution counsel do his work because in a criminal trial, the case would not proceed without the accused person in court.

The judge adjourned the matter till October 21, 2016.