DSS stalls EFCC’s prosecution of Dasuki

The trial of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, before an FCT High Court sitting in Maitama suffered setbacks due to the failure of the Department of State Services (DSS) to bring him to court.

This is the second time in less than one week that the DSS failed to produce Dasuki for trials being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Aside yesterday, Dasuki was also absent at the FCT High Court on May 11 but was on the same day present at the Federal High Court, Abuja for another case prosecuted by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

The EFCC was scheduled to call its first witness last week in the 22-count charge against Dasuki but his absence forced the court to adjourn the trial till June 29 and 30.

At the resumed hearing in the second case involving the ex-NSA yesterday, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told the court he was acting under the impression that Dasuki was within the court premises only for him to find out he was not even brought to court.

He applied for the case to be stood down for one hour so he could make contact to ascertain the reason for Dasuki’s absence.

In this matter, Dasuki was arraigned on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust alongside former Director of Finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu and former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa for alleged diversion of N13.6 billion.

Reacting to his counsel’s absence in court, Chief Joseph Daudu (SAN) said it was a worrying development. He said he is not objecting because he is anxious to know why Dasuki was not brought to the court.

The trial judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf without objection from other counsels adjourned the matter till today for continuation of hearing.

Dasuki has remained in the custody of the DSS since December, 2015 despite several courts granting him bail to which the Federal Government has not yet complied with.

When contacted, the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren told Daily Trust correspondent that the EFCC does not have custody of Dasuki.”