Former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki
The high-profile fraud trial involving former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, has once again been postponed.
An Abuja High Court on Tuesday pushed the proceedings to October 31, allowing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) additional time to list a key witness.
Dasuki is facing a refiled 32-count charge that includes allegations of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds totaling N33.2 billion.
He is being prosecuted alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and two companies: Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC alleges that Dasuki released the equivalent of N10 billion in foreign currencies from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) account held at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The funds were allegedly funneled into the 2014 presidential primaries of the then-ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are registered as case number FCT/HC/CR/43/2015.
At the latest hearing, EFCC operative Adariku Michael testified that the commission received an intelligence report on September 21, 2015, detailing suspicions of money laundering and abuse of office.
“I got to know about this case when the commission (EFCC) received intelligence report on Sept. 21, 2015 bordering on abuse of office and money laundering,” Michael told the court. He added that large sums of money were allegedly transferred to various company accounts between October 2014 and April 2015.
According to Michael, the report was assigned to a special EFCC taskforce led by ACE 1 Halimah Kazeem, with immediate investigative actions taken, including correspondence with the CBN.
However, the hearing hit a procedural snag when Solomon Umoh (SAN), counsel to Baba-Kusa, objected to the witness’s testimony.
He pointed out that Michael’s name was not included in the prosecution’s witness list, which he argued violates Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
In response, EFCC’s lead prosecutor, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, defended the witness’s inclusion, stating that Michael had previously testified before the Chief Judge and helped present several key documents as evidence.
“This case had lasted almost 10 years,” Atolagbe noted, as he requested more time to properly regularize the witness list.
With no objection from the defence, Justice Charles Agbaza granted the adjournment, rescheduling the case for continued hearing on October 31.
NAN
