Ex-NSA refused to be brought to court, EFCC tells Judge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama,

On February 8, 2016, Justice Baba Yusuf of the court had fixed Wednesday to begin trial following the dismissal of Dasuki's application, seeking an order prohibiting the EFCC from further prosecuting him on account of his continued detention.

He was however not produced in court, and his lead counsel Messrs Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Ahmed Raji (SAN) also failed to appear.

According to the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, Dasuki refused to be in court because the senior lawyers defending him would not be present in court.

“The first defendant said he would not be in court unless he is abducted because his lead counsel, J.B Daudu and Ahmed Raji, were not going to be in court,” Jacobs said.

He alleged that Dasuki's lawyers are deliberately plotting to frustrate the case, saying they refused to visit their client in the DSS’ custody so that they could continue to use the excuse of lack of access to Dasuki.

Jacobs said, “When a defendant is in custody, the counsel should be allowed access to the defendant.

“I asked the DSS whether the lawyers ever made attempt to see him, they said they never did. It is a deliberate plant to frustrate the trial.”

Dasuki, a former Director of Finance and Administration in the NSA office, Shuaibu Salisu‎ and a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Babakusa are being prosecuted by the EFCC on 19 counts of diversion of‎ N32 billion meant for arms procurement.

READ: EFCC seizes Dasuki property in Kaduna

The former NSA has been in DSS custody since December 29, 2015.

The other co-accused are, a former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, the ex-governor’s son, Sagir Attahiru, and a firm, Dalhatu Investment.