Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has
objected to the application by the Federal Government to shield identities of
witnesses in his trial
Defence counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN) yesterday told the Federal
High Court in Abuja to dismiss the application for witness protection, insisting
that the application having been ruled upon by the court in 2016, constitutes
an abuse of court process.
He said claims by the prosecution that the safety of the
witnesses, who were on covert operations within and outside Nigeria, could be
compromised if their identities are not protected, is “speculative” and “cheap
blackmail.”
Earlier the prosecution counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), asked
the court to grant the shielding or masking of witnesses to protect the
witnesses, who are at risk due to the position of the defendant as former ADC
to Head of State, former NSA, and a crown prince of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed has fixed June 15 for ruling.
In another trial, a counsel representing the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday told an FCT High Court that
Dasuki’s absence in court was a further ploy to delay the trial.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, EFCC’s counsel,
Oluwaleke Atolagbe told the court that the prosecution on Wednesday received a
letter from the office of Dasuki’s counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), requesting for an
adjournment on the ground that Dasuki had to appear before the Federal High
Court, Abuja for another matter.
“This is unfair on the prosecution, other defence counsels
and even my Lord. This is a ploy to stall this trial. This should be strongly
condemned by my Lord”, Atolagbe said.
Ruling on the application for adjournment, the trial judge,
Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf said he agreed with the submission of the
prosecution that the application was a ploy to delay the trial.
“By this type of conduct, the counsel to the second
defendant is already tasking the patience of the court,” the judge declared,
saying that he had no option than to agree to adjourn the matter due to
Dasuki’s absence in court.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to June 29 & 30 for
hearing.
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Dasuki is been persecuted. ...pure vengeance. He should be set free cos a competent court of the land had granted him bail...... if you can release terrorists then why........Nigeria is sinking deeper and deeper. May God Help us.
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