Judge’s absence stalls Dasuki’s trial

Th e absence of trial judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yufus, stalled the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (redt) in the alleged $2.1billion arms deal. Th e federal government prosecuting Dasuki in the alleged fraud also failed to produce him in court as at the time the trial was shifted to September 27 by lawyers in the matters. Other defendants in the alleged corruption case included a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, former Sokoto state Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, his son Sagir Bafarawa, former Director of Finance in the offi ce of the NSA, Salisu Shuaibu and Dalhatu Investment Ltd, who were present in court. However, the trial could not proceed as Justice Baba-Yusuf was said to have gone outside Abuja on an assignment. Although, the court clerks declined comments, it was learnt that the Judge was part of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary delegation attending the burial ceremony of Justice Victoria Ayodele Uzo-Amaka Onejeme, a pioneer Judge of the Abuja High Court who died recently. However, after consultation with each other, the lawyers and the court offi cials shifted the prosecution till September 27 due to the coming yearly vacation of the court scheduled to begin on July 10 and terminate in the middle of September. Th e Federal Government had on January 24 rearraigned Dasuki and other defendants on 22-count charges in the case due to the transfer of the charge from Justice Peter Aff en to Baba-Yusuf as part of case management. Th e defendants were accused of breach of trust, money laundering and diversion of public funds since 2015 when they were fi rst arraigned in court. While the bail granted other defendants was obeyed by the Federal Government that of Dasuki was not as he was re-arrested on December 29, 2015 at Kuje Prison shortly after he perfected bail conditions and had since remained in the custody of the DSS.

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