$2billion Arms Fraud: Dasuki, Other Accused plead not guilty.
Following the arraignment of the ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and others alleged accomplices before an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama, Monday by the EFCC on a 19 count charge; the former NSA and other accused persons pleaded not guilty.
Dasuki was docked alongside the erstwhile Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa, and some companies- Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referal Hospital Limited.
the accused persons and entities were alleged to have illegally diverted over N13.6billion from the national treasury to the detriment of the nation in the fight against insurgency.
According to the EFCC, the accused persons supervised the unlawful disbursement of billions of Naira from different bank accounts belonging to the office of the NSA.
The funds were allegedly distributed to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP held in Abuja, a process that saw the emergence of ex-President Jonathan as the sole candidate for the party.
The funds were allegedly distributed to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP held in Abuja, a process that saw the emergence of ex-President Jonathan as the sole candidate for the party.
The EFCC also alleged that the sum of N13.570 billion, being money for an “agreement”, between Dasuki and the ex-Director of Finance in the office of the NSA, Salisu, was looted from the national treasury.
They were said to have transferred a total sum of N1.45b to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380m to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750m paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers.
Besides, EFCC said its investigations revealed that N670m was paid to certain publisher, N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345million traced to a former President of the Senate, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.
The Commission said it has not been able to trace the ex-Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, who it said was “on the run”.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Col. Mohammed Dasuki( rtd.), whist being the National Security Adviser and Shuaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser, and Hon. Warripamowei Dudafa (now at large), whilst being Senior Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs to the President, on or about 27th November, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties, to wit: the sum of N10, 000,000,000( Ten Billion Naira) being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria( CBN), the equivalent of which sum you received from the Central Bank of Nigeria in foreign currency to wit: $47,000,000( Forty-Seven Million United States Dollars) and 5.6 million Euros, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you claimed to have distributed same to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) presidential primary election delegates and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4 LFN 2004.’’
Another count reads: ‘‘That you, Col. Muhammed Dasuki( rtd.), whilst being the National Security Adviser, and Shuaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser between October, 2014 and April, 2015 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed to do an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust by public officers in respect of an aggregate sum of N13, 570, 000,000.00( Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy Million) being part of the funds in the account of the office of the National Security Adviser and that the same act was done in pursuance of the agreement among you and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.’’
Justice Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to Tuesday, December 15, for hearing on bail applications.
END.
