Justice Adeniyi Ademola of an Abuja Federal High Court, has dismissed an application brought before it by the Federal Government of Nigeria, seeking to try the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, in secret, by masking its witnesses.
The court held that the federal government had in its charges listed the names and addresses of 11 witnesses to be called to testify against Dasuki and made same available to the general public and as such there was no basis for any hide and seek game in the trial.
He said that there was no basis to grant the request of government to make the witnesses wear special mask, bear pseudo names and addresses because the charges against Dasuki was not terrorism related and that there was no information that the life of any of the witnesses billed to be called was being threatened by anybody of group.
Ahmed Raji SAN, counsel to Dasuki, had earlier told the court in argument to a separate motion filed before it, that the ex NSA was being held in a room without windows, and that he did not have access to his lawyers, family, and some common luxuries like newspaper, television or telephone.
A submission Dipo Okpeseyi, counsel to the Department of State Service (DSS), opposed, stating that the former NSA was being held in a guest-house, and that he had access to some luxuries.
After listening to the counsel, the judge ruled that Dasuki be given access to his lawyers and two members of his family at the DSS interview room on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Justice Ademola in his ruling on an application by Dasuki seeking for the court to quash the charges against him, the trial judge held that the trial must continue, since Dasuki had not followed the proper process of filing a contempt charge against the federal government.
He stated that it was out of place for a defendant in a suit to ask that charges against him be dropped for un-weighty reasons.
He therefore dismissed the former NSA’s application to stop his trial.
Dasuki had filed the application to stop his trial on the grounds that the federal government had on several occasions flouted an order of the court granting him bail. He had asked the court to compel the government to obey its order or quash the charges against him.
Dasuki is facing a four-count charge of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms brought against him by the DSS and
multiple counts of laundering money at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court, Abuja.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 18, 2016.
