Metuh’s trial: Dasuki’s detention not basis to adjourn his testimony, court rules

The Department of State Service has produced the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, before the Federal High Court in Abuja for the Friday’s proceedings in the ongoing trial of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.


He is dressed in white attire with a black cap.

Dasuki, who is Metuh’s eighth defence witness, is now seated in the witness box.

It is the second time the ex-NSA will be produced in court in respect of the case since the court ordered him to appear following Metuh’s request for his (Dasuki’s) appearance.

Dasuki appeared before the court for the first time on Wednesday and was ordered by the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, to enter the witness box after the court dismissed a motion by the ex-NSA seeking an indefinite adjournment of his court appearance in respect of the case.

However on entering the witness box, while being led in evidence by Metuh’s lawyer, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), Dasuki told that he could no longer remember the details of the N400m which he gave to Metuh in 2014.

The sum of N400m, which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleged Metuh fraudulently received from the NSA office in 2014, is part of the subject of the charges on which Metuh and his firm, Destra Investments Limited are being prosecuted.

It was the first time Dasuki‎ would be called upon to publicly speak on his alleged diversion of funds meant for arms procurement into presidential campaigns of the then ruling PDP in 2015.

Justice Abang who has now resumed sitting for the Friday’s proceedings is to first rule on the request by the defence to defer the testimony of Dasuki until his release from the custody of the DSS and would be able to have access to his records which he claimed he needed to be able to continue his testimony.