Arms scandal: Again, Dasuki, Yuguda, Bafarawa, others’ trial stalled

THE trials of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and former Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, was again stalled on Wednesday, over the illness of one of the defendants in the suits, a former Director of Finance and Account (DFA) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr Salisu Shuaibu.

The former NSA and others were to be re-arraigned before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of an FCT High Court on November 16 following the transfer of a case before Justice Peter Affen to the former by the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Usman Bello.

The death of a former Sultan of Sokoto and father of the ex-NSA, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, forced parties in the suits to agree that it was not proper to proceed with the trial on Wednesday, November 16 when the suits were to hold.

Dasuki, Yuguda and Bafarawa are being arraigned alongside Shuaibu and a former Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Baba Kusa, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a 22-count charges bordering on fraud and money laundering before Justice Baba-Yusuf.

In the case transferred from Justice Affen, the former NSA, Yuguda, Bafarawa and his son, Sagir and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited, were facing trial of charges brought by the anti-corruption commission.

When the cases came up on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, informed Justice Baba-Yusuf that he was served with the medical report confirming that Shuaibu, who is the second defendant in the first case, was sick and hospitalised.

According to Atolagbe, since the case was a criminal case, it could not go on in the absence of the second defendant. He, however, applied for a short adjournment to enable the defendant fully recover to be able to face trial.

Counsel for Shuaib, Mr Adetayo Adeyemo, apologised to the court for the absence of his client in court, which he attributed to his illness, and informed that the medical report of his client had been filed in court as well as served on the prosecution and other parties in the trial.

Counsels for other defendants did not raise any objections to the application made by the prosecution for an adjournment.

They hinged their non-objection to the fact that Shuaibu had always been present in court since the commencement of the trial.

Ruling on the application for adjournment, the presiding judge, Justice Baba-Yusuf, submitted that since the commencement of the trial, Shuaibu, who is the second defendant had always been coming to court.

Justice Baba-Yusuf declared that based on that fact, the court would oblige the prosecution and grant the request for the adjournment. He, therefore, adjourned till 25 January, 2017.

For similar reason, the second case transferred to Justice Baba-Yusuf was adjourned till 24 January, 2017 for mention.
Shuaibu is the third defendant in the case.