In the application dated January 12, 2016 filed by his lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Dasuki asked the court to discharge him or stay the proceedings due to the non-compliance with an earlier order of the court granting him bail.
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The trial of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), before Justice Baba Yusuf of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, is expected to commence today.
”As far as we are concerned it is our duty to ensure that the orders of this court are obeyed”, Daodu said.
Punch Newspapers, however, reports that Dasuki’s application falls outside the Criminal Justice Act of 2015.
“They are saying in the application that the judge can not hear the charges because the prosecution has continued to disobey the court orders granting bail to the defendant”, a lawyer that was not willing to be named said.
Justice Ademola Adeniyi’s order follows the absence of Dasuki at the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday.
Dasuki, who case was adjourned till today, was however brought to the court about 11am in compliance with the court order under a tight security.
Dasuki (first defendant) alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser; Aminu Babakusa, a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13, 570,000, 000.00 (thirteen billion, five hundred and seventy million naira).
Counsel to the second and third defendants, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) and Solomon Umoh, in their submissions, told the court that they were just served in court the processes filed by Dasuki and government and that they need time to study it.
At the trial on Thursday, the Judge Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, had announced that the trial had been postponed following a letter he received from Dasuki’s lawyers which stated that they would be absent at the trial.
His trial was adjourned yesterday after his lead counsels wrote to the court asking for an adjournment to allow them go for a case they have at the Kogi election petitions tribunal.
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The judge adjourned the trial of the NSA boss till February 16, restating that the accused must be produced in court. Except the court gives express order for the defendant not to be in court, he must be brought to court from wherever he is.
