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DASUKI: With Justice Ademola out, FG gets court’s nod for secret trial

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DASUKI: With Justice Ademola out, FG gets court’s nod for secret trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja, has approved the request by the Federal Government for 14 witnesses to testify in secret against a former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

The court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed on Thursday, granted leave for all the prosecution witnesses to give their evidence behind screen.

An earlier application to that effect by the Federal Government on October 12, 2015, was dismissed by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, on April 19, 2016, for lacking in merit. He also granted Dasuki bail on self-recognition, but the accused was re-arrested outside the Kuje Prison by the DSS on December 29, 2015, immediately he perfected bail conditions handed to him by two different courts.

Ademola later withdrew from Dasuki’s trial after he was arrested and prosecuted on an 18-count charge, but he was discharged and acquitted of all the charges against him.

Read also: Freedom at last? CCT dismisses all 18 charges against Saraki

Justice Mohammed who anchored the latest court’s decision on section 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, noted that one of the charges levelled against Dasuki borders on money laundering.

Dasuki is facing four-count charges bordering on money laundering and alleged illegal possession of firearms.

The government had in a motion dated June 3, 2016, applied for the witnesses to be allowed to testify behind a screen provided by the court, using acronyms or alphabet such as “XYZ”.

FG’s lawyer, Mr. Dipo Okpeseyi, told the court that the witnesses needed to be protected because Dasuki is a crowned prince of the Sokoto caliphate who has large followers both within and outside the country that may be aggrieved.

According to him, a number of the witnesses, are security operatives, who could be hunted by people that are sympathetic to Dasuki, even as he reminded the court that Dasuki is alleged to have imported sophisticated firearms while at the NSA.

The government claimed that many of the firearms have not been accounted for and could be in the possession of those sympathetic to the defendant.
Meanwhile, Justice Mohammed has fixed September 20 and 21 for FG to open its case against Dasuki.

 

 

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