I’m being prosecuted for old grievances ---Ex-NSA Dasuki
(Nigeria) Former National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he was being punished by some persons at the highest level of power in the country for perceived grievances they hold against him while in active military service many years ago.
Dasuki who did not name any particular person said that the
punishment being meted on him was unfortunate having borne out of mere
vendetta.
In an emotion laden submission, while reacting to the
government request for his secret trial, Dasuki who spoke through his counsel
Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, told the court that he has rested his case in God for
the ultimate judgment.
“It is crystal clear that the defendant (Dasuki) is being
punished by the powers that be for the perceived offences committed long
before, we leave them to the Almighty God for his ultimate judgment”.
Dasuki had been arraigned before three different high courts
for various allegations and was granted bail but was rearrested in December
last year by the Federal Government and has since been held incommunicado.
At the resumed trial today, the Federal Government had
approached the court, seeking secret trial of Dasuki who is facing charges of
unlawful possession of firearms, money laundering and breach of trust.
In the fresh motion
argued by the prosecuting counsel, Chief Dipo Okpeseyi, SAN, government prayed
the court to allow witnesses give evidence behind the screen to be provided by
the court.
He held that the
request hinged on the fact that Dasuki as a former top security chief has large
loyalists across the country who may jeopardize the trial if done in the open.
He further submitted
that Dasuki has in the recent past held the highest security office in the
country and has loyalists in the security circle whose loyalty has been
transferred to personality and whose actions might be inimical to prosecution
witnesses some of whom are still in the service.
Okpeseyin cited the case of the government witness who was
involved in a serious accident, resulting in multiple fractures and injuries
but however stated that in as much as he would not allude that Dasuki has a
hand in the accident, it heightened the need to have the witnesses protected by
the court.
He further submitted that in the highest military office
where Dasuki served last, loyalty was the first, second and the last rule and
because of the peculiar nature of loyalty some persons have for him within the
military and beyond, those to give evidence in the trial were at one time or
the other, staff of the defendant.
He stressed that since the witnesses are those of the court
whose primary duty was to assist the court arrive at a just conclusion, the
issue of security must be viewed with a serious concern.
He therefore urged Justice Adeniyi Ademola to screen the
witnesses from the public in the interest of justice, and to protect them,
their families and career.
But counsel to
Dasuki, Joseph Daudu, SAN, vehemently opposed the request for secret trial of
Dasuki.
His argument was that it will breach the principle of fair
trial.
He added that contrary to the position of the government,
Dasuki cannot be a threat to the witnesses as he has been in the custody of the
federal government since December last year.
Daudu argued that open trial is the minimum requirement in a
criminal trial and as such, any attempt to opt for a secret trial in the
instant case, which was not a capital offense will run contrary to Section 36
of the 1999 Constitution on fail trial.
The Defence counsel
therefore asked the court to discountenance the claim made by the prosecution
on the issue of loyalty in the military circle, stressing that such claim was a
mere speculation and not backed up by facts.
On the accident of
the witness, Daudu told the court that the accident would not have been caused
by Dasuki, who has been in the government custody for almost a year.
He said that the alleged accident has no bearing with the
request for secret trial.
He therefore urged the court to dismiss the application for
secret trial as such will trample on the rights of the defendant to fair trial.
Justice Ademola after
taking argument from both parties fixed ruling and continuation of trial for
September 13, 14 and 15.
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