A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday fixed December 18 for ruling on bail applications filed by the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and others who are facing 19 counts of misappropriation of N32bn arms fund along with him.
The EFCC had on Monday arraigned Dasuki along with a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, and Aminu Baba-Kusa before Justice Baba Yusuf.
In a separate case before Justice Peter Affen of the same FCT High Court in Maitama, Dasuki and Salisu were on Tuesday arraigned alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son Sagir Attahiru, and their firm Dalhatu Investment.
They all pleaded not guilty to the 22 counts of misappropriation of about N13.651bn meant for the purchase of arms for fighting Boko Haram in the North East.
Justice Affen also on Tuesday adjourned till Wednesday the hearing of the accused persons’ bail applications.
Arguing their bail applications before Justice Yusuf on Tuesday, the accused persons’ lawyers urged the court to grant bail to their clients as they were presumed innocent under the Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
They argued that by virtue of provisions of the ACJ Act the onus to prove that the accused persons were not entitled to bail was on the prosecution.
In the counter-affidavits filed by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), in opposition to the accused persons’ bail applications, stated that the severity of the punishment upon conviction which could be up to 14 years imprisonme could serve as an incentive for them to jump bail”.
The prosecution also opposed Dasuki’s bail application on the grounds that as “a former military officer and a former NSA” Dasuki had the power to influence witnesses and in effect frustrate his trial.
It added that the accused was still under investigation for more allegations against him and currently facing other criminal charges before the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court.
Justice Yusuf ordered that the accused persons be kept in EFCC custody pending the ruling on their bail applications.
Dasuki and others named as defendants in the charges before Justice Yusuf, were accused of misappropriating about N32bn between January 13, 2013 and April 17, 2015, amounting to an offence of criminal breach of trust to provisions of section 315 of the Penal Code Act, and section 17 (b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.
They were charged with dishonest receipt of stolen property in breach of sections 97 and 317 of the Penal Code Act as well as receipt of proceeds of criminal conducts in breach of section 17(b) of the EFCC Act.
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