6 Armsgate: Irregularity on witness list stalls Dasuki’s trial

The trial of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, over the alleged diversion of over N19bn before an FCT High Court in Abuja could not hold yesterday due to irregularities in the list of witnesses to testify against him.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the counsel to Dasuki, Chief J.B. Daudu (SAN), told the court that the first prosecution witness, Michael Adariku, an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who was giving evidence in the case could not continue as he was not listed on the witness list as demanded by Section 397 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The former NSA is the first defendant in the case in which a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Shuaibu Salisu; a former General Manager of the NNPC, Aminu Babakusa and two firms; Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited were also arraigned by the EFCC.

While urging the court to prevent the witness from giving further evidence, Daudu appealed to the court to expunge all he had said in his evidence on January 25 from the records.

Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf directed the prosecution to include the name of the witness on the list and serve same on all defendants. The case was thereafter adjourned to May 16, 17 and 18 for continuation. The judge had also earlier adjourned the second case involving Dasuki before him till May 11 and 12 for commencement of trial.