FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
(NSA), RETIRED COL. SAMBO DASUKI REACTS AT THE HIGH COURT OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL
TERRITORY WHERE HE IS STANDING TRIAL OVER ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF N32BN
ARMS FUND IN ABUJA ON FRIDAY (22/1/16). THE CASE WAS ADJOURNED TILL FEB. 4 FOR
THE HEARING OF THE EX-NSA’S APPLICATION FOR STAY OF PROCEEDINGS.
0399/22/1/2016/HF/BJO/NAN
The Supreme Court has said that the
detention of former National Security Adviser Colonel Sambo Dasuki was not at
the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that put
him on trial.
The apex court held that the bails
granted Mr. Dasuki in respect of criminal charges brought against him by EFCC
have been obeyed having being implemented by the Controller of Prison Kuje on
December 29, 2015.
In a judgement in an appeal filed by
Mr. Dasuki to challenge his continued detention and praying for suspension of
his trial pending the time the bail orders were obeyed by government, Justice
Ajembi Eko said that the EFCC cannot be held responsible for the continued
detention of the Ex-NSA since the detention was carried out by the State
Security Service (SSS).
Justice Eko in the unanimous
judgement, therefore said that since the bail order was implemented by the
prison controller, it has been obeyed as far as the charges against him at the
FCT High Court was concerned.
The apex court said that from the
claims and counter-claims of Mr. Dasuki and EFCC, it was clear that he was
rearrested at the premises of the Kuje Prison on December 29, 2015 by the SSS.
The Supreme Court therefore affirmed
the decision of the Court of Appeal and the FCT High Court which had in their
separate decisions held that EFCC cannot be held responsible for the detention
of Dasuki by DSS.
Justice Eko said the appeal brought
by Dasuki lacked merit and constituted abuse of court process and therefore
dismissed it.
The Court ordered Dasuki and EFCC to
go back to the FCT High Court to continue with the trial in the charges brought
aginst him by the anti-graft agency.
The anti-graft agency charged Mr.
Dasuki for allegedly mismanaging billions of naira while he held office as
National Security Adviser.
The Federal High Court under Justice
Adeniyi Ademola, FCT High Court under Justice Peter Affem and another FCT High
Court under Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf had at different times granted bails to
Mr. Dasuki.
The bail conditions slammed on Mr.
Dasuki were met prompting his release from Kuje Prison on December 29, 2015.
Immediately after the release was
implemented by the Controller of the Kuje Prison, operatives of SSS swooped on
Mr. Dasuki, rearrested him and had since held him in captivity without any
fresh allegation, explanation or arraignment since December 2015.
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