EFCC not responsible for Dasuki’s detention – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has said the detention of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), was not at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that put him on trial.

The Apex Court held that the bails granted Dasuki in respect of criminal charges brought against him by the EFCC have been obeyed having been implemented by the Controller of Prison, Kuje on December 29, 2015.

In a judgement in an appeal filed by Dasuki to challenge his continued detention and praying for suspension of his trial pending the time the bail orders were obeyed by government, Justice Ajembi Eko said the EFCC cannot be held responsible for the continued detention of the ex-NSA since the detention was carried out by the Department State Services.

Justice Eko in the unanimous judgement, therefore, said since the bail order was implemented by the Prison Controller, it has been obeyed as far as the charges against him at the FCT High Court was concerned.

The Apex Court said from the claims and counter-claims of Dasuki and the EFCC, it was clear that he was rearrested at the premises of the Kuje Prison on December 29, 2015 by operatives of the DSS.

The Supreme Court therefore affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal and the FCT High Court, which had in their separate decisions held that EFCC cannot be held responsible for the detention of Dasuki by the DSS.

Justice Eko said the appeal brought by Dasuki lacked merit and constituted an abuse of court process and therefore dismissed it.

The Court ordered Dasuki and the EFCC to go back to the FCT High Court to continue with the trial in the charges brought against him by the anti-graft agency.

PRNigeria recalled that the Federal High Court under Justice Adeniyi Ademola, FCT High Court under Justice Peter Affem and another FCT High Court under Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf had at different times granted bail to Dasuki.

The bail conditions slammed on Dasuki were met, prompting his release from Kuje Prison on December 29, 2015.

PRNigeria also recalled that immediately after the release was implemented by the Controller of the Kuje Prison, operatives of the DSS swooped on Dasuki, rearrested him and had since held him in captivity without any fresh allegation, explanation or arraignment since December 2015.