Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) on Tuesday asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to suspend the charges of illegal possession of firearms and money laundering against him.
Background:
- The Federal Government has accused Dasuki of looting funds meant for arms procurement for the Nigerian military.
- He was also accused of money laundering an illegal possession of firearms.
- Dasuki has been in custody since 2015.
His argument:
Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), asked the court to adjourn the trial indefinitely pending the hearing and determination of the ex-NSA’s motion for stay of proceedings filed before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
Raji said, “In the cause of the proceedings, a very major constitutional issue arose on witness protection and fair trial, under the Constitution and the defendant here has referred the constitutional matter to the Court of Appeal.
“The notice of appeal, Exhibit C which is the vehicle through which the referral was made, particularly in ground 3, states that section 232(3)(b) of the ACJA has been submitted for the test against the provision of section36(4) of the 1999 Constitution.
“On the basis of this referral the court should adjourn the matter.”
He noted that his client had filed before the Court of Appeal, a motion for stay of proceedings of the trial, adding that once such motion was pending before a higher court, “the lower court is to tarry awhile to await the decisions of the higher court on the pending motion”.
He said, “It is to avoid a situation of foisting a fait accompli on the Court of Appeal.
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