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Fresh Twist In ₦33.2Bn Fraud Saga As Court Postpones Dasuki’s Trial
An Abuja High Court has adjourned the trial of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), to October 31, following a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for time to update its witness list.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The adjournment came after the defence objected to the testimony of prosecution witness, Adariku Michael, on the grounds that his name was not included in the official documents earlier served on the defendants.
Dasuki, who served as NSA under former President Goodluck Jonathan, is standing trial on an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, unlawful release of funds, and receipt of ₦33.2 billion allegedly diverted from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He is being prosecuted alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former General Manager at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as well as two firms — Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
According to the EFCC, Dasuki authorised the release of about ₦10 billion in foreign currencies from ONSA’s CBN account to finance the 2014 presidential primaries of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges (Case No. FCT/HC/CR/43/2015).
At Tuesday’s sitting, EFCC detective Adariku Michael testified that the case originated from an intelligence report received on September 21, 2015, alleging abuse of office and money laundering. He added that a special task force led by ACE I Halimah Kazeem was constituted to investigate, beginning with a letter of inquiry to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
However, defence counsel Solomon Umoh (SAN) raised objections, citing Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which requires the prosecution to list all intended witnesses in advance.
Prosecution counsel Oluwaleke Atolagbe countered that Michael had previously testified before the Chief Judge in the same matter and that several documents linked to his testimony had already been admitted as evidence. He urged the court to allow time for the EFCC to “do the needful,” noting that “this case has lasted almost ten years.”
In his ruling, Justice Charles Agbaza granted the adjournment, directing the prosecution to update its witness list before the next hearing to prevent further procedural delays.
Dasuki, first arrested in 2015, has faced multiple amended charges and adjournments, making this one of Nigeria’s longest-running high-profile corruption trials.
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