Legal Nigeria

Arms deal: Dasuki’s trial adjourned to Jan. 20, 2016

Justice Adeniyi Adamola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) to January 20, 2016.  He adjourned the case after consultations with both defence and plaintiff lawyers.
The Federal Government filed a fresh application seeking to stop Dasuki from travelling abroad for medical treatment.
In its fresh application last Thursday, Mr. Oluseyi Opasanya, counsel to the government, asked Justice Ademola to stay proceedings in the ruling he delivered on November 3.
“The new application,” Opasanya said, “takes precedence over the earlier application.”
On November 3, the court had granted Dasuki permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment, ordering an immediate release of his passport. The government is now asking the court to suspend that order.
In his brief, Dasuki’s  lawyer, Ahmed Raji, argued against the new application, saying the previous request, which sought to revoke his client’s bail, was yet to be determined. He asked the court for a short adjournment to enable him respond to the fresh application.
The court fixed Monday for hearing of the application. However, at the resumed hearing on Monday, the court adjourned to January 20.
The former NSA was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) last Monday after a three-week siege on his Abuja residence.
Last Wednesday, he was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interrogation over an alleged N300 billion fraud.
Dasuki was indicted by a presidential panel probing the procurement of arms in the Armed Forces from 2007 to 2015.
He was accused of using his office to award fictitious arms contracts. He denied the allegations, stating that former President Goodluck Jonathan approved all the contracts he awarded
Daily Sun