ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), along with three others, was re-arraigned on Tuesday before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over an alleged N33.2 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed charges against Dasuki, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two companies—Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The defendants face a 32-count charge related to an alleged criminal breach of trust and the fraudulent disbursement of public funds.
Their re-arraignment before Justice Charles Agbaza follows the reassignment of the case by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who previously presided over the matter.
Dasuki was initially arraigned on December 14, 2015, before Justice Baba-Yusuf, alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser, on a 19-count charge linked to an alleged N15.5 billion fraud.
The charges were later amended, removing Salisu’s name. On May 11, 2018, Dasuki and the others were re-arraigned on a fresh 32-count charge involving N33.2 billion.
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However, the trial stalled after the prosecution presented only one witness, the investigating officer, who had yet to complete his testimony before the case was indefinitely adjourned.
In 2015, the EFCC also filed another case against Dasuki, charging him alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir Bafarawa; and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited.
They were accused of a 25-count charge involving criminal breach of trust and the misappropriation of N19.4 billion.
The case was recently reassigned to Justice Yusuf Halilu.
Both trials faced significant delays due to the Department of State Services’ refusal to release Dasuki on bail, despite multiple court orders granting his release.
During the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all 32 charges read to them.
The prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, subsequently requested a trial date.
Defense lawyers A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye, representing Dasuki and Baba-Kusa, appealed to the court to allow their clients to continue on their existing bail, assuring that they had consistently attended court proceedings.
The prosecution did not object but emphasized the importance of the defendants’ continued presence throughout the trial.
After reviewing arguments from both sides, Justice Agbaza ruled that the defendants should remain on their current bail conditions and adjourned the trial to July 1.