My Detention Is Keeping Foreign Investors Away – Dasuki

[caption id="attachment_5993" align="alignnone" width="630"]Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.)[/caption]

The immediate-past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), on Thursday told a Federal High Court in Abuja, that his continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) was keeping foreign investors away from the country.

Speaking through his counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), Dasuki, who is being prosecuted before Justice Adeniyi Ademola on four counts of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, said his continued detention was a violation of the court’s order that granted him bail on September 1, 2015 and another that permitted him to travel abroad for medical treatment on November 3, 2015.

Daudu prayed the court to stop Dasuki’s trial, prohibit the Federal Government from further prosecuting his client and make an order discharging the ex-NSA until the orders of the court were complied with.

Advertisement

Daudu argued that Dasuki had since been held in custody without trial or reasons made known to him, adding that he (Daudu) was not given access to him by the DSS to prepare for the ex-NSA’s defence.

He noted that if the trial was allowed to go on, it would be unfair.

Daudu said, “The most obvious evidence of the breach of the orders of the court is that the defendant is still in custody, brought to this court by the Department of State Services.

“There is no magic or anything that can be said to dispute that. The effect of his (Dasuki’s) continued incarceration is that the orders, as contained in Exhibit A, has been flouted by the prosecution who wants the matter to continue.

Advertisement

“We must state here that since his re-arrest at the Kuje Prison after perfecting his bail condition, we have not been allowed access to him. We are at the cross road and only the court can right the wrong in this matter so that the defendant will have time and facilities to defend himself.

“Investors are watching the court and the situation, especially where government is choosing to disobey a lawful court. Absolutely power corrupts absolutely, and we must not send a wrong signal to the outside world that we have no regard for the rule of law.”

Leave a comment

Advertisement