The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday tendered additional evidence in the ongoing trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), and three others before an Abuja High Court.
Dasuki faces an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest release and receipt of funds totaling ₦33.2 billion. He is accused of misappropriating security funds domiciled in the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two firms — Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC re-arraigned the defendants on March 25 in the case, which was initially filed in 2015.
At Friday’s hearing, EFCC detective Adariku Michael, who appeared as the first prosecution witness (PW1), told the court that the commission received an intelligence report on September 21, 2015, alleging abuse of office and money laundering by ONSA officials.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness said the report was assigned to a special task force led by ACE Halimah Kazeem. The task force, he added, wrote to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to trace suspicious transactions.
He narrated how large sums were transferred from the ONSA account with the CBN to various individuals and companies between October 2014 and April 2015. Responses from CBN and commercial banks were tendered in evidence and admitted as exhibits.
Counsel for the defendants A. A. Usman for Dasuki, Solomon Umoh, SAN, for Baba-Kusa and Acacia Holdings Limited, and A. O. Ayodele for Reliance Referral Hospital Limited — reserved their objections to the tendered documents.
Justice Charles Agbaza adjourned the case to November 11 for the continuation of hearing.
