BEVERLY HILLS, October 26, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government Monday filed fresh charges against former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (rtd), who is facing criminal charges bordering on unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
The fresh charges filed against him now include alleged retention of funds which formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act contrary to section 15 (2)(d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
The new development came on a day the Federal Government also applied to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for a secret trial of the embattled Dasuki.
When the matter came up for hearing Monday, Dasuki, who was escorted to the court by three former civilian governors and some former ministers and top government functionaries, pleaded not guilty to the fresh five – count charges as against the earlier one count charge.
Dasuki was however granted bail in the previous term by the trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi.
But in a motion on notice argued by the prosecution counsel Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, the Federal Government applied to the court to grant secret trial of the former security chief for security of its witnesses billed to testify against the accused.
The application was brought to the to the court pursuant to section 36(4) of the 1999 constitution and section 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Among others, the prosecution sought order to direct that the names and address of all its witnesses should not be disclosed in any record or report of proceedings that may be accessible to the public and that the witnesses be permitted to use pseudo name in the course of proceedings to grant to its witnesses access to a non-public route to and from the court premises and court rooms as well as to allow them use private witnesses room.
Aside the lawyers and accredited newsmen, the prosecution asked the court not to allow any member of the public to witness the trial and that the witnesses be permitted to wear facial masks while giving evidence against the accused.
Labaran who argued the motion submitted that the trial would suffer setback because the witnesses will not testify without secret trial for fear of reprisal from undisclosed places.
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the application for lacking merit and for being frivolous.
He told Justice Ademola that the names of the witnesses were already in the public domain at the instance of the prosecution, adding that the application was a mere academic exercise that should not be granted by the court.
The trial judge, Justice Ademola, is expected to rule on the application on Wednesday.
According to the fresh charges, the accused was, on July 17, 2015 at his house, No. 13, John Khadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja, found in possession of various range of firearms without requisite license an offence punishable under section 27 (1)(a) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004.
He was also accused of retaining $40,000, N5million and another $20,000 in the same house and same date contrary to section 15 (2)(d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.
Aside this, the former security chief was accused of having on July 16, 2015 at his residence at Sultan Abubakar Road and Sabon Birni Road, Sokoto retained another $150,000 and N37.6m being part of proceedings of unlawful act contrary to Section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Act 2011.
All these are coming as the accused through his counsel filed an application for temporary release of his travelling documents from the court to enable him travel abroad for medical attention.
The medical checkup was said to have been over-due since July but that he could not travel due to seizure of his passport.
The application will also be argued on Wednesday.
