Court shifts hearing of Dasuki, Saraki’s appeal to October

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Monday, shifted hearing of the appeal by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd) challenging his continuous trial over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering till after the annual vacation of the court.

The appeal, slated for hearing  on Monday, was not heard as the five member-panel of justices, headed by Justice Abdul Aboki, ordered the Federal Government to file and serve a fresh brief of argument in response to the appellant’s brief that was regularised on Monday.

Justice Aboki said a day for hearing of the appeal would be communicated to the parties in the matter as soon as the court comes back from its yearly vacation in September.

The former NSA had appealed against the ruling of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who  dismissed his application seeking to halt his trial.

Dasuki, in his application, had asked the court to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating him due to an alleged disregard for the court order granting him bail.

Ademola had, in his ruling, said what Dasuki ought to have done was to file contempt charge against the Federal Government for violating the bail granted him by the court.

The judge said the court could not grant Dasuki’s motion seeking to halt his trial on the ground of disobedience to bail order by the Federal Government.

In a related development, the appellate court also adjourned hearing of the appeal brought before it by Senate President Bukola Saraki, challenging the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to entertain the false assets declaration charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

When the matter came up on Monday, Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, asked the court to adjourn hearing of the appeal till after the annual vacation of the court.

Efforts by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, to make the five-member justices of the appellate court to hear the appeal on Monday proved abortive, as the court over-ruled his objection and slated October 6, 2016 to hear the appeal.