Dasukigate - Court okays Secret trial for Sambo Dasuki
A federal high
court in Abuja has granted the request of the government for the shielding of
witnesses in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA).
The government, which is prosecuting Dasuki for money laundering,
had through its counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi asked Ahmed Mohammed, the judge, to
order the shielding of its witnesses in the trial for their own safety.
The prosecution led by Okpeseyi had argued that some of its
witnesses were former staff of Dasuki, and that they could be at risk if there
identities were made public. According to him, the defendant has sympathisers
across the country by virtue of the sensitive position he held in government.
But in defence, Ahmed Raji, counsel to the accused person, asked
the court to dismiss the request because it was baseless. He said his client
was not facing terrorism or treason charges; hence it is pointless shielding
witnesses in his trial.
However, in his ruling, Mohammed held that the offence for which
Dasuki was being prosecuted required the protection of witnesses according to
law.
He, therefore, ordered that prosecution witnesses be shielded
with a screen during trial.
Persecution or prosecution - what’s
your take?
Credit: Premium Times
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