Politics
Govt counsel in the dark, as EFCC fails to produce Dasuki for trial
The Federal Government on Thursday failed to produce the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, before an Abuja High-Court for trial.
During his trial on Thursday, Rotimi Jacob, counsel to the Federal Government told the trial judge, Justice Affen, that he was amazed that Mr Dasuki was not brought to court by his client.
This according to him was despite the fact that he informed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on the trial and the need to make Mr Dasuki available for trial in court.
He however blamed communication gap between the EFCC and State Security Service (SSS) as the reason the former NSA was not brought to court.
Jacob prayed Justice Affen to stand down the case to enable the EFCC produce Mr Dasuki in court, but failed to give a definite period within which the commission will bring the ex-NSA to court.
Counsel to the Federal Government position, provoked reactions from Olajide Ayodele (SAN) and counsel to former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Yuguda, who challenged the request.
Read also: Amnesty Int’l accuses Buhari’s govt of suffocating freedom of expression
Ayodele argued that the failure of the prosecution to give a definite time within which the EFCC or SSS will produce the former nsa in court shows that he had no information on what is happening between the EFCC and DSS on the matter. He therefore urged the judge to adjourn the trial.
Counsel to Mr Dasuki, Jacob Daudu, lamented how the same Federal Government which placed Dasuki on trial, are now the one scuttling the trial.
According to him, since June when the matter was adjourned, the EFCC should have known that it was its duty to make Dasuki available in Court as required by the law.
By Ebere Ndukwu …
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