by Azeez Adeniyi

The Federal Government on Thursday asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to allow its witnessess testify behind the screen in the trial of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

The lead prosecuting lawyer, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN) told the court that witnesses’ lives were not safe by virtue of Dasuki’s current and previous positions.

He alluded to an alleged accident which had incapacitated the principal prosecution witness in the case.

[Read Also: FG RE-ARRAIGNS SAMBO DASUKI ON AMENDED CHARGES]

Okpeseyi added, “The principal witness in this case can no longer appear in court due to an accident he was involved in.

“The circumstances surrounding his accident are still unknown. He was just saved by God. He sustained multiple fractures from his head to his leg.

“So, life must be protected before it is lost.”

Okpeseyi argued that there was a need to shield the identities of the prosecution witnesses from the public.

He said this was because the witnesses were operatives of the Department of State Services “carrying out covert operations on behalf of the Federal Government in various parts of the country and even beyond.”

He stated, “What we seek is for them to give evidence behind a screen to be provided by the court.

“The defendant was once their boss and the defendant had been a senior military officer, a former Aide-de-Camp to a sitting President, a former NSA and a crown prince, who has large followers.

“It is for these reasons that, even without his (Dasuki’s) knowing, harm may come the way of the witnesses.”

In response, Dasuki’s lawyer said the alleged threat to witnesses lives was mere speculation.

He said no harm has been done to previous witnesses in the case.

He also argued that a similar application had been dismissed by the former trial judge.

Justice Mohammed fixed June 15 for ruling.