Dasuki: Court refuses to continue trial in absence of accused

The trial of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo
Dasuki, was again stalled on Wednesday as the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama refused to go ahead with the
matter in the absence of the accused.

Mr Dasuki is standing trial alongside four others, Bashir
Yuguda, Dalhatu investment Ltd, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Dalhatu
Bafarawa, for allegedly diverting public funds worth N19.4
billion.

He has been in detention since his arrest in 2015 despite being
granted bail by the court on many occasions.

Mr Dasuki last year said he would no longer appear in court for
his trial until government honours the bail.

In the opening of session on Wednesday, counsel to the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Oluwaleke Atolagbe, told
the court that the matter was scheduled for trial and that a
prosecution witness was in court waiting to give evidence.

Mr Atolagbe, however, said the matter could not go on in the
absence of Mr Dasuki.

“The information I have is that the second defendant (Mr Dasuki)
has insisted that he would not come to court. Certainly, the trial
cannot go on today since he is not available,” he said.

“I humbly refer the court to section 352(4) of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which permits the court to
go into trial in absence of the defendant who has refused to come
to court without any reasonable excuse. But this would be after two
adjournments.”

But Mr Dasuki’s lawyer, Victor Okudili, told the court that a
motion of notice seeking an order to adjourn the trial
indefinitely, pending compliance by the EFCC with the judgment of
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on July 2, 2018, which granted bail to the
defendant.

Mr Atolagbe acknowledging the receipt of the application and
asked for an adjournment to enable him to respond to it.

Following this, the presiding judge, Hussein Baba-Yusuf,
adjourned the matter to February 19 to hear the application.