A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, affirmed the bail granted former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) in the amended charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money-laundering brought against him by the Federal Government.
Trial judge, Justice Rahmat Mohammed, affirmed the bail of Dasuki shortly after taking Dasuki’s plea in the amended seven count charges.
The judge said since the prosecution counsel, Mr. Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN, did not object to the bail of the ex-NSA, the court has to affirm same and ordered the defendant to continue to enjoy the bail condition granted him in 2015 when he was first arraigned.
Dasuki had in 2015 been admitted to bail by Justice Adeniyi Ademola but the bail order was not obeyed by the Federal Government, including other bails granted by Justice Peter Affen and Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf of the Abuja High Court.
The ECOWAS Court too ordered the immediate release Dasuki, describing his detention as illegal and unlawful. With all the court orders, the former NSA has remained in the custody of the Department of State Service, DSS.
In the amended charges, Dasuki was accused of being in possession of prohibited firearms without the requisite licences in July 2015 contrary to Section 28 of the Firearm Act Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
He was alleged to have been in possession of Trevor Rifles at his residence in Abuja.
When the charges were read, Dasuki denied all of them.
Prosecution counsel thereafter, informed the court of his readiness for trial and that he had a motion pending before the court for secret trial, seeking protection for witnesses billed to testify against the NSA.
However, counsel to Dasuki, Mr Ahmed Raji, SAN, agreed that the previous bail granted Dasuki be allowed to continue since there was no objection from the prosecution.
Justice Mohammed, while affirming the bail granted Dasuki in 2015, adjourned the matter till May 11, 2017 for the motion for secret trial to be determined.
