FG insists on secret trial as court affirms Dasuki’s bail in amended charges
Former national security adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki<br />PHOTO: NAN
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court yesterday affirmed the bail granted to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), in the amended charges of unlawful possession of fire-arms and money-laundering brought against him by the Federal Government.
The presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Rahmat Mohammed, affirmed Dasuki’s bail after taking his plea in the amended seven-count charge.
The amended charges indicated that a sum of $150,000 and N37 million, being part of proceeds of unlawful act, was said to have been found in the Sokoto residence of the former NSA on July 16, 2015.
Dasuki denied all the seven counts when the charge was read to him.
Prosecution counsel, Mr. Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN), informed the court, afterwards, of his readiness for trial and that he had a motion pending before the court for secret trial, seeking protection for witnesses billed to testify against the NSA.
Opeseyi further informed the court that since the amended charge bears the same number with the previous charges, the court should exercise its order on the bail earlier granted the defendant by allowing him to continue to enjoy the bail.
Dasuki’s counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), agreed that the previous bail granted Dasuki be allowed to continue since there was no objection from the prosecution.
However, Raji informed the court that he is opposed to the motion filed June 3, 2016 seeking protection for prosecution witnesses on the ground that the motion was predicated on the old charge.
Raji told the court that the prosecution had in January 23, 2017 filed an application on the same issue and he wondered why the prosecution would chose to revert to the motion of 2016 instead of going ahead with that of 2017.
