A former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and three others were re-arraigned on Tuesday at a High Court in Abuja over allegations of a N33.2 billion fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed charges against Dasuki and a former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation General Manager, Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two companies—Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The defendants are facing 32 charges related to alleged criminal breach of trust and improper disbursement of public funds.
Their re-arraignment in front of Justice Charles Agbaza came after the case was reassigned by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who had previously managed the case.
Dasuki was initially arraigned on December 14, 2015, by Justice Baba-Yusuf, alongside a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu, concerning a 19-count charge linked to an alleged N15.5 billion fraud.
The charges were later revised, and Salisu was removed from the case. Subsequently, Dasuki and the others were re-arraigned on May 11, 2018, on a new 32-count charge relating to N33.2 billion.
However, the trial faced delays after the prosecution could present only one witness—the investigating officer—who had not yet completed his testimony before the case was postponed indefinitely.
The EFCC had also initiated a separate case against Dasuki in 2015, where he was charged alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir Bafarawa; and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited. They were charged with 25 counts of criminal breach of trust and the misappropriation of N19.4 billion.
Both trials encountered significant delays due to the Department of State Services not releasing Dasuki on bail, despite court orders permitting his bail. During the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the defendants entered a not guilty plea to the 32 counts presented to them. Prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, subsequently requested a date for trial.
Attorneys for Dasuki and Baba-Kusa, A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye, urged the court to permit the defendants to continue under their existing bail terms, assuring they had consistently attended all court proceedings.
The prosecution did not oppose this request but stressed the importance of the defendants’ continued presence throughout the trial. After considering arguments from both parties, Justice Agbaza decided that the defendants would remain on their bail and adjourned the trial until July 1.
