Dasuki, others plead not guilty

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews . . .

Embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, alongside others on Monday pleaded not guilty to a fresh 19 count criminal charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Dasuki, was arraigned ‎alongside the erstwhile Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, ‎Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as his companies, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited before an Abuja High Court ‎sitting at Maitama.

‎The accused persons were said to have illegally diverted over N13.6 billion from the national treasury but they pleaded not guilty to the entire charges.

The trial judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf‎ adjourned till Tuesday to hear their applications for bail.

‎The EFCC, had in the charges, accused them of supervising the unlawful disbursement of billions of Naira from different bank accounts belonging to the office of the NSA, including allegedly distributing the funds to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Abuja, a process that saw the emergence of ex-President ‎Jonathan as the sole candidate for the party.

According to the EFCC, the alleged sum of N13.570 billion, being money for an “agreement”, between Dasuki and the ex-Director of Finance in the office of the NSA, Salisu, was looted from the national treasury.

The anti graft agency also said the accused persons transferred a total sum of N1.45b to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380m to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750m paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers.

Read also: $2b arms deal: Those who shared the money, by Yuguda

The EFCC also said its investigations revealed that N670m was paid to a certain publisher, N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345million traced to a former President of the Senate, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.

It however said it has not been able to trace the ex-Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, who it said was “on the run”.

Meanwhile, the federal government has launched a fresh probe into Dasuki’s tenure as NSA by calling on all contractors who made supplies, or rendered services to the office to appear before a contracts verification committee.

The committee will sit at the premises of the office on December 15-23, 2015.

A statement signed by the principal general staff officer in the office of the NSA, did not specify the period the probe would cover.

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