The counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) informed the FCT High Court on Wednesday that granting bail to Sambo Dasuki, Bashir Yuguda, Attahiru Bafarawa and other defendants in the arms fraud case, is risky.
According to Jacobs, it would dangerous to allow the accused persons go on bail, owing to the nature and gravity of the allegations and charges against them.
The suspects were arraigned by the EFCC on a 22-count charge of alleged criminal breach of trust and diversion of public funds amounting to N19.5 billion.
At the resumed hearing of the bail application, Jacobs told the court that: “If they were granted bail, they may not be available to stand trial because the count in the charge attracts 10 years in prison.
“The tendency for the accused to jump bail is high,” he said.
“My lord, granting them bail will send a wrong signal to the public; it is even a risk to release them because many soldiers had died.
“Their families feel the pains as a result of the actions of the accused persons because N19.5 billion that was meant to buy arms for soldiers to fight insurgency was diverted,” he added.
Jacobs urged the court to reject the bail applications of the defence lawyers, saying the reasons given were not cogent enough to necessitate bail.
He therefore advised the court to refuse the bail application in the interest of justice.
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