Dasuki’s Harmonised Trial To Begin November 16

SAN FRANCISCO, October 21, (THEWILL) – The trials of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, on corruption charges before two High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been harmonised and will commence on November 16 before before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

Dasuki is accused of diverting about $2.1 billion meant to purchase arms to combat the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east and for alleged possession of firearms.

Dasuki was formally arraigned before two judges in the same court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), until his counsel, Joseph Daudu, sought the merger of the two charges declaring that the charges against Dasuki in both courts were of similar content.

Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the federal government, did not object as both counsels agreed to ask Justice Ishaq Bello, Chief Judge of the FCT, to consolidate the charges against the former NSA.

Bello ordered that the matter, which was to be heard simultaneously, on Friday , before Justices Peter Affen and Hussein Baba-Yusuf, be transferred to the court of Justice Baba Yusuf as the only Judge that will now conduct the trial.

Jacob however insisted that the issue of consolidation of the charges will no longer arise since the two cases were going under the same judge saying his client was ready to carry on with both charges in the same court.

“It appears that all the lawyers are tired of the undue delay of these two cases. We agreed that the two cases go before the same judge and the CJ has transferred the case before Justice Affen to the court of Hon. Justice Baba-Yusuf, so that's where we are,” Jacobs said.

“Once the two cases are before the same judge, so the issue of consolidation will not arise.”

Others standing trial with the Dasuki are Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance at the office of the NSA, Aminu Baba-Kusa, former NNPC Executive Director; and two companies, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

Dasuki has remained in detention since he was last arrested in November last year despite decisions for his bail by Nigerian and ECOWAS courts.

Story by Oputah David.