Illegal detention: Court overrules FG, orders neutral place for Dasuki to brief lawyers

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday, overruled the Federal Government in its decision to confine the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Muhammed Sambo Dasuki (retd) to the premises of the Department of the State Security (DSS).

The government had decided that Dasuki should access and brief his lawyers in the trial of the corruption charges slammed against him by the Federal Government on the premises of the DSS.

The court ordered that Dasuki must be allowed to access and brief his lawyers at a neutral place, instead of the premises of the DSS headquarters in Abuja, so as to enable him to prepare adequately for his defence in the trial.

Justice Husain Baba Yusuf, who issued the order in Abuja, on Monday, directed that the detained ex-NSA should henceforth be allowed by DSS operatives to access his lawyers within the premises of the FCT Territory judiciary headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, between Monday to Friday.

Justice Baba Yusuf's pronouncement followed a complaint by Dasuki's lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, that the legal team for Dasuki had not been allowed to have direct access to him, in spite of a court order made on April 6.

At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel for the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, had told the judge that the case was slated for commencement of trial and that he was fully ready with his witnesses that would testify in the case.

Adedipe, on his part, told the court that he was not ready for any trial because the ruling of April 6, which ordered DSS to allow them access their client for briefing, so as to prepare his defence, had not been complied with by the security agency.

Justice Yusuf, who had earlier indicated that he was not going to grant any further adjournment, however, saw reason with the defence and adjourned the case till June 6, for the DSS to comply with his April 6 ruling. - Tribune.