$2.1bn Arms Probe: Dasuki Kicks As Bafarawa, Son Beg For Separate Trial From Ex-NSA

Embattled ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has rebuffed moves by former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa and his son Sagir Attahiru, to get separate trial in the alleged $2.1 billion arms fund diversion charges against them.

Bafarawa, his son, and their family company, Dalhatu Investment Ltd, had approached the court to seek a separate trial from Dasuki in the $2.1bn arms fund diversion instituted against them by the Federal government in 2015.

But the former NSA said except the current joint charges against them are fundamentally amended; they would not be tried separately for conspiracy, amongst other charges in the suit.

“May I inform this court that the motion of the applicants is incurably defective because of the failure to first seek for the amendment of the joint charge.

“There has to be one step at a time in a uniform or joint charge. The applicants seek for fundamental amendment of the current charge before they can talk of demand for separate trial,” Dasuki, who was represented in court by Adeola Adedipe, told the court.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) similarly opposed the motion by Bafarawa and co for lacking in merit and contravening provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the Abuja Federal High Court that the alleged joint roles played by Dasuki, Bafarawa, Sagir, Bashiru Yuguda and Shuaibu Salisu wouldn’t allow for the separate trials.

Jacobs argued that Bafarawa and co conspired to receive the said sum in their ‘Dalhatu investment’ UBA account, hence can’t be granted separate trial from the ex-NSA.

Having listened to arguments from parties involved, Justice Baba-Yusuf fixed October 19 for rulings.