The former National Security Adviser,
NSA, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, has said he was not ready for trial until
the Federal Government complied with an order of the Federal High Court that
granted him bail.
In
November 2015, Justice Adeniyi Ademola had granted Dasuki bail but the
Department of State Services, DSS, rearrested him immediately after his release
from Kuje prison.
Counsel
to the DSS, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), announced to the court, yesterday, that the
prosecution was ready for trial to commence. But Joseph Daudu, counsel to
Dasuki, said the defence counsel was not ready to proceed with the trial
because the Federal Government was still keeping the accused person in detention,
despite an order of the court granting him bail.
He
said: “We cannot be ready for trial until the defendant enjoys his
constitutional rights. We apply that we should be given time to prepare
the defence. The conduct of the prosecution has not enabled him to enjoy his
constitutional rights. The worst thing is that for about seven weeks we have
had no idea of his whereabouts.”
However,
Okpeseyi argued that the prosecution was not stopping Dasuki from enjoying his
freedom, saying the accused person was not allegedly held for the charges
before the court.
He,
therefore, asked the court to reject the request for adjournment and to
commence trial. But the court adjourned till March 3 for the hearing on a
motion to discharge Dasuki.