S’Court rules in Dasuki’s case March 2

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed March 2, 2018 for judgment
in the appeal filed by a former National Security Adviser, Col.
Sambo Dasuki (retd.), challenging the validity of his trial while
being kept in “unlawful” detention.

Dasuki had filed his appeals before the Supreme Court,
challenging the judgments of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, delivered
on June 15, 2016, which dismissed his request for an order putting
on hold his trial until he is released from detention in compliance
with the court’s orders granting him bail.

Dasuki was arrested and has been in the custody of the
Department of State Service since December 2015.

He was arrested shortly after he was released on bail granted
him in respect of two separate sets of charges bordering on alleged
diversion billions of naira meant for purchase of arms.

He had asked the trial court, the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory in Abuja, to strike out the charges preferred
against him on the account of his continued detention.

But the court dismissed his application.

He appealed to the Court of Appeal in Abuja which also dismissed
his case.

He subsequently appealed to the apex court to challenge the
appeal court’s decision.

A five-man bench of the apex court led Justice Dattijo Mohammed,
gave the date for judgment after parties to the appeal adopted
their addresses on Wednesday.

Arguing Dasuki’s appeal, the ex-NSA’s lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu
(SAN), contended that the decision of the Court of Appeal was
erroneous.

He therefore urged the Supreme Court to restore the integrity of
Nigerian courts.

Daudu said his client needed to be released to enable him to
prepare for his trial as he currently did not have access to vital
documents in detention.

He said, “My Lords, Dasuki is already being treated as a
convict, even when none of the charges brought against him has been
concluded.”

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed March 2, 2018 for judgment
in the appeal filed by a former National Security Adviser, Col.
Sambo Dasuki (retd.), challenging the validity of his trial while
being kept in “unlawful” detention.

Dasuki had filed his appeals before the Supreme Court,
challenging the judgments of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, delivered
on June 15, 2016, which dismissed his request for an order putting
on hold his trial until he is released from detention in compliance
with the court’s orders granting him bail.

Dasuki was arrested and has been in the custody of the
Department of State Service since December 2015.

He was arrested shortly after he was released on bail granted
him in respect of two separate sets of charges bordering on alleged
diversion billions of naira meant for purchase of arms.

He had asked the trial court, the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory in Abuja, to strike out the charges preferred
against him on the account of his continued detention.

But the court dismissed his application.

He appealed to the Court of Appeal in Abuja which also dismissed
his case.

He subsequently appealed to the apex court to challenge the
appeal court’s decision.

A five-man bench of the apex court led Justice Dattijo Mohammed,
gave the date for judgment after parties to the appeal adopted
their addresses on Wednesday.

Arguing Dasuki’s appeal, the ex-NSA’s lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu
(SAN), contended that the decision of the Court of Appeal was
erroneous.

He therefore urged the Supreme Court to restore the integrity of
Nigerian courts.

Daudu said his client needed to be released to enable him to
prepare for his trial as he currently did not have access to vital
documents in detention.

He said, “My Lords, Dasuki is already being treated as a
convict, even when none of the charges brought against him has been
concluded.”