EFCC fails to produce Dasuki for trial — second time in a week

The trial of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), could not take place again on Wednesday because he was absent.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting the former NSA for alleged money laundering, failed to produce him before Baba Yusuf of the federal capital territory (FCT) high court, Abuja.

The anti-graft agency had also failed to bring him to court on Tuesday.

Dasuki has been in the Department of State Services (DSS) detention since December 2015 despite court orders granting him bail.

His lawyer, Joseph Daodu  said in court that inter-agency rivalry between the DSS and the EFCC was hampering the trial.

Irked by the development, Akin Olujimi, former attorney-general of the federation and counsel to Salisu Shuaib; a co-defendant,  urged the court to order that Dasuki be produced for trial.

He said the federal government was deliberately frustrating the trial of the former NSA.

“No one should foist a state of hopelessness on the court but I urged the court to order that those keeping Dasuki should ensure that they are alive to their responsibility of producing him in the next adjourned day,” he said.

On his part, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the EFCC, said he had spoken with his client, but that the information he got was that Dasuki would be not be brought to court.

He then asked the court for an adjournment to sort out the matter.

The judge then adjourned the case till July 11 for trial.