Former National Security Adviser
(NSA) Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) was on Wednesday re-arraigned before a
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on the allegation of $2.1bn
arms fund diversion and was granted bail by the Court.
Dasuki was docked on 32 counts
amended charges along with Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and
Reliance Referral Hospital.
The four defendants, however,
pleaded not guilty to all the 32-count charge.
Apart from the dropping of former
Director of Finance and Supply in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Salisu Shuaib from
the amended charge list, the charges were almost the same with the old 18 count
charges brought against the defendants by the federal government in 2015.
Shortly after taking the plea of
the defendants, the issue of bail was raised and Counsel to Dasuki, Mr. Adeola
Adedekpe, pleaded with the court to grant the defendants bail in liberal terms
in view of the fact that the defendants have been attending trial since 2015.
Counsel to the federal government,
Mr. Oluwaleke Atolagbe did not oppose the bail application.
The trial Judge, Justice Hussein
Baba Yusuf, however, ordered that Dasuki and other defendants be allowed to
continue to enjoy the bail he granted them in 2015 when they were first
arraigned before his court.
It will be recalled that,
although other defendants were allowed to enjoy the earlier bail, Col. Dasuki,
was however, re-arrested in 2015 at the Kuje Prison shortly after perfecting
his bail conditions and has since been kept in the custody of the Department of
State Services (DSS).
Meanwhile, Justice Baba Yusuf has
fixed July 3 and 5 for the trial of the defendants in the new charges.
The federal government had on
April 30, filled the new 32 amended count charges to replace the initial 18
count charges brought against 5 defendants in 2015 before the same court.
In the amended charges coming
barely one year to the general elections, names of prominent politicians from
the opposition party were listed as beneficiaries of the alleged diversions.
Apart from filing new charges
with fresh names, a new twist was also introduced into the trial by government
as a key defendant in the matter, Salisu Shuaib who was a former Director of
Finance and Supply in the ONSA under Colonel Dasuki was dropped from the new
charge.
The amended charge was signed by
Mr. Chile Okoroma, Director of Legal Services with the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At Wednesday’s re-arraignment, no
reason was adduced on why the former Director of Finance in the office of the
NSA who served along with Colonel Dasuki was dropped from the trial having
being arraigned together since 2015.
Among top Nigerians alleged by
the federal government to have collected money from the former NSA are the
current National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, former Chairman Board
of Trustee PDP, Chief Tony Anenih; former PDP Spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh;
Publisher of Thisday, Nduka Obaigbena, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, Chairman AIT Dr.
Raymond Dokpesi, Mouftah Baba-Ahmed, Bello Abba Mohammed, Dr. Bello Mohammed,
AVM M. N Umar, Otunba Jonah Ogunniyi among others.
Apart from individuals, corporate
organizations were also named as beneficiaries in the new charges and they
include AMP Solar Service, Afro-Arab Investment, Bam Project and Projecties
Limited, Bob Oshodin Organization Limited, WEHSAC Farms Limited, Wehsac
Limited, Dimaris Mode Coolture Limited, First ARALAC Global Limited, Stellavera
Development Limited, Jawaz Multi-purpose Venture Limited, Little Italy Global
Services Limited, Belsha Nigeria Ltd and Syvan McNamara Limited among others.
It would be recalled that Dasuki,
Salisu Shuaibu and three others were arraigned in 2015 on the same charge and
pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
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Let Dasuki be ... Let him attend his hearing from home NOT from detention...
ReplyDeleteYou will be judge fair if he is convicted.
Df Role (in Nigeria Rustic Village)