Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
The trial of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and four others in the alleged money laundering and breach of trust charges commence before an Abuja High Court in Abuja yesterday.
Dasuki and other defendants were alleged to have laundered N2billion.
The trial was opened with the prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), calling his first witness, Mr. Adariko Michael.
The witness, who is an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a testimony, told the court that the anti-graft agency investigated the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in September 2015 based on a petition alleging abuse of office and money-laundering.
Michael said the commission wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), requesting information on the movement of funds from the ONSA account to various companies.
He further informed the court that the response from the CBN indicated that funds were moved from the ONSA’s bank account domiciled at CBN to two companies Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Reference Hospital Limited.
The witness testified that the funds were transferred in three tranches of N600million, N650million and N750million into the account of the companies with UBA, Ecobank and First Bank Plc.
He said letters were written to the three banks and the responses confirming transfer of the funds were also received.
He also informed the court that a letter written to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) confirmed one Aminu Baba Kusa as the owner and the sponsor of Acacia Holdings Limited and that the said company owner was invited and made voluntary useful statement to the EFCC.
All the documents relating to the transactions that led to the trial were tendered by the prosecution and admitted as exhibits by Justice Baba Yusuf.
Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf has adjourned the trial to March 16 and 17, 2017 for continuation of trial.
Meanwhile, Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), has told the court that he planned to file a motion for consolidation of the two charges against Dasuki.
He said it was in the interest of justice and effective case management that the charges be merged since they emanated from the same office of the national security adviser under the headship of his client.
Although the prosecution counsel objected to the indication of the merger but the Judge said that the two parties should allow the motion to be filed properly before argument could be canvassed on the merit or otherwise of the consolidation request.
Meanwhile, further trial has been adjourned to March 16 and 17, 2017.
