The embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki (retd), is now facing 47-count charge before three different courts and judges in Abuja from the previous 19 count charges.
Dasuki had previously been docked before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering and alleged illegal possession of firearms.
On Monday, the former NSA was arraigned before Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the FCT High Court on a fresh 19-count charge.
The charge bordered on alleged illegal diversion of about N32billion from accounts the office of the NSA operated with both the Central Bank of Nigeria and other banks, while yesterday, he was arraigned before an FCT high court on a new 22-count criminal charge bordering on alleged diversion of public funds to the tune of about N13. 6billion.
Charged along with Dasuki are former Minister of State, Finance, Bashir Yuguda, former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Attahiru and a company the EFCC said was used to divert huge sums of money from the office of the NSA prior to the 2015 general elections- Dahaltu Investment Limited. Also charged are Dasuki’s Finance Director, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, a former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as his companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited.
Meanwhile, there were indications, yesterday, that the embattled former National Security Adviser may explore the plea bargain option. His lead counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji, broached the idea while persuading an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama to release his client on bail pending his trial.
Dasuki who was previously docked before Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering and his alleged illegal possession of firearms, was on Monday, arraigned before Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf of the FCT High Court on a fresh 19-count charge. The charge bordered on alleged illegal diversion of about N32billion from account the office of the NSA operated with both the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions.
Equally docked over the alleged fraud was the erstwhile Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as his companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited.
The funds were allegedly distributed to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP held in Abuja, a process that saw ex-President Jonathan emerge as sole candidate of the party.
Similarly, the EFCC, yesterday, arraigned the former NSA before Justice Peter Affen of the FCT High Court on a new 22-count criminal charge bordering on alleged diversion of public funds to the tune of about N13. 6billion.
Others that joined the ex-NSA yesterday to plead not guilty to the 22-count charge were the erstwhile Minister of Finance, Bashir Yuguda, former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Attahiru and a company the EFCC said was used to divert huge sums of money from the office of the NSA prior to the 2015 general elections- Dahaltu Investment Limited.
Justice Affen, yesterday, deferred hearing on their request applications till today. Shortly after Justice Affen adjourned the case before him, Dasuki was marched into another court presided by trial Justice Yusuf, to adduce reasons why he should be released on bail pending the determination of the case against him.
Moving his bail application yesterday, Dasuki, through his lawyer, Ahmed Raji, SAN, maintained that the crux of charges against him revolves around his alleged complicity in financial crime, an offence he said could be determined through the plea bargain system.
“Even the law recognises the fact that we can do plea bargain”, Raji insisted.
While urging the court to grant his client bail on either self recognition or in the most liberal terms, Raji, SAN, argued that nowhere in the entire charge was it mentioned that the alleged looted funds were specifically earmarked for the purchase of arms for the military.