Breaking: Court dismisses discharge application by Dasuki
– An Abuja High Court has dismissed an application by the former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki to discharge the case against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
– The judge handling the case, Justice Hussein Yusuf, said he does not agree that the State Security Service (SSS) and the EFCC is representing the same government
– Among other charges, Dasuki is standing trial for criminal abuse of public trust and misappropriation of funds
An Abuja High Court has dismissed an application by the former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki to discharge the case against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
In his ruling, Hussein Yusuf said he does not agree that the State Security Service (SSS) and the EFCC is representing the same government.
Dasuki in court today
Yusuf said the arguments presented by Joseph Daudu, counsel to the former NSA is not impressive. Yusuf however agreed with Daudu that the judiciary must not allow it orders to be flouted.
But the judge said the orders of the court have not been flouted in this case because the court in its order did not make any order on re-arrest of the applicant in its ruling on bail.
Yusuf adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 23 for commencement of trial.
Dasuki was re-arrested by the SSS after the court granted him bail on an EFCC case.
The former NSA alongside his former finance director, Shuaibu Salisu, Baba Kusa and two companies – Acacia Holdings and Referral Hospital – are facing a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal abuse of public trust before Justice Yusuf.
The applicants had asked the court to stay proceedings of further trial until the federal government obeys court orders admitting the first defendant (Dasuki) bail.
The defendant was granted bail in N250 million and a responsible surety in like sum.
The surety should be a civil servant not below the rank of a director in the federal civil service and must furnish the court with his evidence of means.
Dasuki was also expected to submit his travel passport to the court.
The former NSA is also facing various charges in two different courts in Abuja.
He is accused of diverting funds meant for the procurement of arms during his tenure as the national security adviser.
The money, $2.1 billion, the EFCC alleged were shared between the former NSA’s cronies for the funding of the last presidential election campaign.
However Raji after the ruling told journalists that his team will be reflecting over the court’s decision.
Raji said he strongly stands by his argument that the EFCC and SSS belong to one body – the federal government.
While he did not state whether they would be appealing the court’s ruling or not, Raji said his team are currently interested in tackling the “stranger” who he said is not a party to the matter.
Meanwhile, the EFCC recently arrested one of its operatives following claims over extortion in the ongoing trial of Dasuki.
According to media reports, the accused, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, a deputy detective superintendent, was arrested on Monday, January 25, following intelligence report alleging that he extorted $150,000 from some military officers on the pretence of securing a soft landing for them in the on-going investigation into the arms deal scandal.
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