Court Gives FG September Deadline to Conclude Dasuki Prosecution
The Federal High Court in Abuja has given the Federal Government until September to conclude the prosecution of former National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed September 24, 25 and 26 for the government to call any remaining witnesses and tender all exhibits in support of the decade‐old charges.
Dasuki, first arraigned in 2015 on a seven-count amended charge, was due to open his defence once the prosecution closed its case.
At the last hearing, DSS exhibits keeper Monsur Mohammed testified that authorities searched Dasuki’s residences in Abuja, Kaduna and Sokoto following his arrest.
Under examination by lead counsel Oladipupo Okpeseyi (SAN), Mohammed detailed the items recovered from Dasuki’s Asokoro home at 46 Nelson Mandela Street.
He listed two Compact Discs of Freedom Radio on Jokolo, two GTBank cheque books, two BlackBerry phones, a Nokia phone, a flash drive, an Apple laptop and bank statements among the exhibits.
Also seized were a Visa card, the Afri-Media Integrated Ltd radio station approval letter, a CD on Mohammed Yusuf’s arrest and execution, US$500, 533 Saudi riyals, an HSBC account book and a Habibson Ltd cheque book.
Mohammed further told the court that US$150,000 was recovered from Dasuki’s Sabo Birni residence in Sokoto and deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria, while nothing was found at his Sultan Abubakar Road property.
When the prosecution sought an adjournment to tender additional exhibits, Justice Lifu granted it, directed the government to be ready to close its case, and adjourned until September 24, 25 and 26 for Dasuki to begin his defence.
