Ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki, 3 others re-arraigned over ‘N33.2bn fraud’
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), along with three others, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for their alleged involvement in a N33.2 billion fraud.
Dasuki was brought to court alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and two companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The re-arraignment follows the reassignment of the case by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who had previously handled the matter.
This case traces its roots back to December 14, 2015, when Dasuki was initially arraigned on 19 counts of fraud, alongside Shuaibu Salisu, the former Director of Finance and Administration at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The charges were related to an alleged N15.5 billion fraud but were later amended when Salisu was dropped from the charges.
On May 11, 2018, Dasuki and others were re-arraigned on an amended 32-count charge that included allegations of criminal breach of trust and the dishonest release and receipt of various sums totaling N33.2 billion.
The prosecution had only called one witness, the investigating officer of the alleged arms deal, who had yet to complete his evidence when the case was adjourned indefinitely.
In 2015, the commission filed two separate cases against Sambo Dasuki.
In another case marked FCT/HC/CR/42/2015, Dasuki was charged alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Amb. Bashir Yuguda. Also charged were former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir, and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited. They face a 25-count charge of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds totaling N19.4 billion. This case has since been transferred to Justice Yusuf Halilu.
On Tuesday, when the case was called before Justice Charles Agbaza, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 32 counts against them. Prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, urged the court to schedule a date for trial to proceed. The judge adjourned the matter until July 1 for the trial to begin.
