Arms scandal: Court grants bail to Dokpesi for N200m; as trial of Dasuki, 4 others adjourned till Tuesday

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Monday, formally arraigned former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki ( rtd.), and four others before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13, 570,000, 000.00.

This is just as Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, also Monday, granted High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, erstwhile Chairman of DAAR Communication Plc, bail in the sum of N200m.

Dokpesi, Dasuki and others are presently facing prosecution by the EFF for offences relating the to the arms procurement scandal rocking the Defence agencies.

Dasuki, who is the first defendant, is charged along side Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser; Aminu Babakusa, a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

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.’’

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to them.

Justice Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to Tuesday, December 15, for hearing on bail applications.

Dokpesi, who was arraigned alongside his company, DAAR Investment and Holdings Limited on Wednesday, 9 December 2015, had pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Moving his application for bail at the last sitting, the defence counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had pleaded with the court to grant the accused person bail on self-recognition.

According to him, “The applicant has not contributed to the insurgency by his act and the only reason he is held in custody is because of mere speculation of future investigation, which this honourable court cannot act on.

“The alleged offence is bailable. My Lord, the accused will not jump bail, as he has families and dependants. ”

However, while opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had said that “The nature of the offence is corruption and a serious one.

“The accused initially denied having any transaction with the office of the National Security Adviser  until he was confronted with the evidence. Therefore, such person cannot be granted bail, as this is coming when the country is trying to change its corruption rating in the international community.”

In his ruling at the resumed hearing today, Justice Kolawole granted the accused person bail in the sum of N200m, with two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be a public servant, either serving or retired, and not below the rank of Director, while the second surety must be an entrepreneur who must submit evidence of tax payment in the last three years.

In addition, “The sureties must tender title deeds of landed properties in any part of Nigeria, the value of which must not be below N200milion,” the Judge added.

Justice Kolawole also ordered the accused person to submit his international passport or any other international document that could enable him travel out of the country and that he should be remanded in Kuje prisons pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

The case was adjourned to February 17, 2016 for the commencement of trial.