BARRING any last-minute change, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will today arraign afresh a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), and a former General Manager with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, together with two firms: Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Today’s arraignment is coming after the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who was hearing the case before he became the CJ, transferred the case to Justice Charles Agbaza, before whom the defendants in the case marked FCT/HC/CR/43/2015 will be arraigned today for the case to start de novo (afresh).
The former NSA, who served in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, with other defendants and a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Shuaibu Salisu, were first arraigned before Justice Baba-Yusuf on December 14, 2015 on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and breach of trust to the tune of N13.5 billion.
The charge was later amended by the prosecution with the name of Salisu dropped from the charge, while the others were on May 11, 2018 re-arraigned on an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money to the tune of N33.2 billion and misappropriation of funds meant for procurement of arms to fight insurgent group, Boko Haram.
The prosecution had only called one witness, the investigating officer who investigated the alleged arms sleaze, and was yet to conclude his evidence-in-chief when the case was adjourned sine die (indefinitely).
The anti-corruption commission had in 2015 instituted two separates cases against Col Dasuki before Justice Baba-Yusuf, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
In the other case marked FCT/HC/CR/42/2015, the former NSA was charged as the second defendant alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited.
They are facing a 25-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of public fund to the tune of N19.4 billion
The case had since been transferred to Justice Yusuf Halilu, sitting at Maitama by Justice Baba-Yusuf upon becoming the CJ and has been progressing since its transfer.
Both cases initially have suffered series of adjournment due to the refusal of the Department of State Service (DSS) to release Dasuki on bail despite being granted bails by competent courts, including Justice Baba-Yusuf.
Today’s fresh arraignment, it was gathered, is coming after much pressure was mounted on the Chief Judge to transfer the case to another judge, considering the fact that he has his hands full on administering the FCT judiciary and other matters.
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