Kingsley Kanayo
The Federal Government has accused the ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, of working to evade trial for illegally possessing firearms and money laundering, The Nation reports.
Dasuki was last year arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on one-count charge bordering on illegal possession of firearms.
On October 27 last year, he was re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge, in which he was also accused of breaching the Money Laundering Act.
Before the trial could commence, Dasuki filed an application, accusing the prosecution of breaching an order of the court, allowing him to travel abroad on medical ground.
He said the decision of the state to re-arrest him and detain him amounted to breach of the court’s order.
He prayed the court to restrain the prosecution from proceeding with his trial or that he be discharged on the ground that his continued detention has denied him the right to prepare for his defence.
But the lead prosecuting lawyer, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), on Thursday warned that if allowed, Dasuki would frustrate his trial.
Okpeseyi argued that Dasuki’s application, in which he sought among others, to restrain the state from further prosecuting him and or quash the charge against him, was intended to obstruct government’s prosecutorial powers.
He contended that by his application, the ex-NSA seeks to be discharged without being subjected to trial.
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