The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has given the Federal Government September deadline to conclude prosecution of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed September 24, 25, and 26, 2025, for the Federal Government to call any remaining witnesses and tender exhibits in support of the charges, pending for a decade.
Mr Dasuki, first arraigned in 2015, is facing a seven-count amended charge and expected to open his defence once the prosecution closed its case.
At the last hearing, a prosecution witness, Monsur Mohammed, told the court that following Mr Dasuki’s arrest, his residences in Abuja, Kaduna, and Sokoto states were searched for arms and cash.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Oladipupo Okpeseyi (SAN), the witness, an exhibits keeper with the State Security Service listed items recovered from Mr Dasuki’s Abuja residence at 46, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro.
At Mr Dasuki’s House at 46, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, he listed two compact discs of Freedom Radio on Jokolo, two GT Bank Cheque books, two Blackberries phones, Nokia phone, flash drive, Apple laptop and statement of account as part of items found in the house.
Others were a Visa card, approval letter of a radio station granted to Afri-Media Integrated Ltd, one CD on arrest and execution of Mohammed Yusuf, 500 US dollars and 533 Saudi Riyadh.
Also recovered were an HSBC account book and a Cheque book of Habibson Ltd of Abubakar Ibrahim.
The court admitted the items as Exhibits MSD 015 to 034 following no objection from Dasuki’s lawyer, Ahmed Usman.
At Mr Dasuki’s residence in Sabo Birni, Sokoto State, the exhibits keeper claimed that 150,000 dollars were recovered in the house and subsequently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The prosecutor said he would ask the SSS to bring the cash to court to be tendered as exhibits.
At the Sultan Abubakar Road, Sokoto house, the witness told the court that no item was found.
At this stage, the federal government counsel applied for an adjournment to enable him to bring before the court other items found in Mr Dasuki’s house during the four search warrants executed in the houses.
Justice Lifu while granting the adjournment request directed the federal government to prepare to close its case against the defendant and for Mr Dasuki to open his defence.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case until September 24, 25 and 26.
(NAN)