Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of an FCT High Court, Maitama has issued a production warrant to the Director General, Department of State Service (DSS) to produce former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), in court to face his trial on May 24th.
Dasuki, who was the NSA to ex -president Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) since 2015.
On trial with him are Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former NNPC Executive Director, and two firms-Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital. They are arraigned on 32 counts of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and dishonest release and receiving of various sums of money to the tune of N33.3 billion.
Justice Baba-Yusuf ordered for a production warrant to be issued on the Director General of DSS to produce Dasuki in court for his trial at the next adjourned date.
Production warrant is issued when a defendant is in the custody of the state as is in Dasuki ‘s case. The judge also ordered the prosecution to liaise with the DSS to produce the defendant whenever his matter comes up.
‘Hence I will issue a production warrant to the DG, DSS to produce the defendant for his trial on the next adjourned date” he said
He then adjourned the case till May 24th for trial. Earlier, the prosecuting counsel Mr Oluwaleke Atolegbe had expressed surprises when he found out that Dasuki was not in court. Atolegbe told the court that it was the duty of the DSS to produce the dependant who was in their custody.
Dasuki ‘s counsel, Victor Okwudiri told the court that it was the duty of the prosecution to produce the defendant in court and it is their duty also to explain why his absence.
