The Federal Government, on Monday, arraigned former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki and three others before an Abuja High Court over their alleged involvement in N13 billion arms deal during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Dasuki was arraigned along with a former Director of Finance at the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu; a former General Manager at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Babakusa and a firm, Acacia Holdings, on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering, illegal diversion of public funds and criminal breach of trust.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and the trial judge, Justice Hussein Baba, ordered that they should be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) till Tuesday when he will hear their bail application, after the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) urged the court for adjournment for the counsel to the parties to argue the defendants’ bail applications.
On his part, counsel to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN), informed the court that they had filed an application for Dasuki’s bail, saying that “the charge was served on us on December 8 and without wasting time, the accused filed an application for bail on December 9.
“The prosecution has served us a counter affidavit this morning (Monday),” he said and prayed the court for time to file a reply to the prosecution’s counter affidavit.
Consequently, Justice Baba adjourned hearing of the various applications till Tuesday, December 15.(Tribune)
