Court rejects Dasuki’s request for stakeholders to intervene in trial

Sambo Dasuki

An FCT High court has rejected an ‘amicus curiae’ application filed by former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, seeking permission to call independent stakeholders to intervene in his trial.

Dasuki, alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda , and former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, are facing 25-count charges bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N19.4 billion.

The judge held that Dasuki’s application did not meet with the conditions for the order sought.

Before the court ruled, Dasuki’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe, listed Senior Advocates of Nigeria to make up for the amicus curiae: Woke Olanipekun, Femi Falana, Onyichi Ikpeazu, and Olisa Agbakoba.

“We are not asking for an adjournment but that the judgments granted Dasuki be complied with by the prosecution. You held him in captivity and also prosecute him,” Mr Adedipe said.

Adedipe prayed for the court to adjourn hearing indefinitely pending when the judgement of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court Abuja on July 2, 2018 is complied with.

Prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that aminus curiae application could only be sought if there are issues not clearly addressed by the law.