Supreme Court dashes Dasuki’s hope to stop trial, gain freedom from DSS detention

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed two separate appeals filed by a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and ordered the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja to give an accelerated hearing to his $2.1 billion trial.

Dasuki had in his appeal prayed the court to put on hold his trial until he is released from “unlawful” detention by the Department of State Service (DSS).

He had also asked the apex court to annul the judgments of the June 15, 2016 Court of Appeal, Abuja, which had affirmed the earlier separate rulings of the FCT High Court.

Both the FCT High Court and the Court of Appeal had all dismissed Dasuki’s prayers, holding that his re-arrest by the operatives of the DSS after he met his bail conditions and was released from Kuje prison on December 29, 2015, did not amount to the disobedience of the trial court’s order granting him bail.

Also in its ruling on Friday, the five-man panel of the apex court headed by Justice Dattijo Muhammad, sacked Dasuki’s two separate appeals.

Holding that the trial which was initiated against the former NSA boss in 2015, had been frustrated at the FCT High Court by various interlocutory applications and appeals, the five Justices of the apex court ordered for accelerated hearing on the matter.

Justice Ejembi Eko, who prepared and read the lead judgment of the Supreme Court on Friday, affirmed the concurrent findings of the trial court and the Court of Appeal.

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And agreeing with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC’s) lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN ), the Supreme Court held that Dasuki’s appeals lacked in merit and were fraught with ulterior motive of frustrating his trial.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting Dasuki and others before the FCT High Court on charges bordering on alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for purchase of arms to be used to fight Boko Haram in the North- East.

 

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