Again, Court postpones ex-NSA Dasuki’s trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has again postponed the trial of a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who is accused of money laundering.

Mr. Dasuki is accused of diverting N19 billion.

The counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, told Justice Husseini Yusuf on Friday that an application had earlier been made by Mr. Dasuki through his clients for stay of proceedings in court.

He said his client was of the view that the application should be refused.

He noted that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act stipulates that such cases be heard daily, and argued that while the judge could hear a motion from the defendants, as the case progresses, a prayer for stay of proceedings should not be allowed.

Mr. Dasuki’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, countered that the details in the said application should be strongly evaluated, as it contained an abuse of the rules of court.

Mr. Daudu said he had been unable to reach his client since he was rearrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Mr. Daudu said he was only able to see his client after a long time, after a court order on Thursday demanded that Mr. Dasuki be produced in court.

The counsels to the second, third, fourth defendants also said they had neither been served with the said application, nor with the counter affidavit, from the prosecution.

The judge, Mr. Yusuf, therefore ruled that the matter could not be heard yet.

“Having heard all parties, I can say with all sense of notice that the matter cannot be heard today,” he noted.

He said it was important to allow Mr. Dasuki go through the counter-affidavit and make his responses to the issues raised.

He directed that counsels to the other defendants be served with the motion on notice, as well as the counter affidavits, before the next date of hearing.