Again, Court gives FG deadline to conclude 10-year trial of Ex-NSA, Dasuki
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed September 24, 25, and 26 for the Federal Government to conclude its decade-long prosecution of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
The judge directed the prosecution to call any remaining witnesses and tender all exhibits to substantiate its allegations against the retired military officer. Dasuki, who has been standing trial since 2015 under the defunct Muhammadu Buhari administration on an amended seven-count charge, is also expected to open his defence during the next sittings.
At the last proceedings, a prosecution witness, Monsur Mohammed, told the court that upon Dasuki’s arrest, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) searched his residences in Abuja, Kaduna, and Sokoto for firearms and money. Mohammed, who serves as an exhibits keeper with the DSS, testified under the lead examination of prosecuting counsel, Oladipupo Okpeseyi (SAN).
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From Dasuki’s Abuja home at 46 Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, the DSS reportedly recovered items including two compact discs of Freedom Radio on Jokolo, two GTBank cheque books, two Blackberry phones, a Nokia phone, a flash drive, an Apple laptop, a bank statement, a Visa card, an approval letter for a radio station owned by Afri-Media Integrated Ltd, a CD on the arrest and execution of Mohammed Yusuf, $500, another 533 Saudi Riyals, an HSBC account book, and a Habibson Ltd chequebook. These were admitted in evidence as exhibits MSD 015 to MSD 034 without objection from Dasuki’s counsel, Ahmed Usman.
The witness further told the court that a search at Dasuki’s Sabo Birni residence in Sokoto State yielded $150,000 and ₦37.6 million, which were deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria. The prosecution indicated it would request the DSS to bring the cash to court for tendering as exhibits. However, a search at another property on Sultan Abubakar Road, Sokoto, yielded no items.
The prosecution then sought an adjournment to present additional items recovered during the execution of four search warrants on Dasuki’s properties. Granting the request, Justice Lifu ordered the Federal Government to be fully prepared to close its case at the next hearing, after which the defence would open its case.
The judge subsequently fixed September 24, 25, and 26 for the continuation and conclusion of the trial.
By PRNigeria
