For the second time, the Nigerian government has applied to the Federal
High Court in Abuja for secret trial and protection of witnesses that will
testify against the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki
in the case of unlawful possession of fire-arms and money laundering
brought against him.
The fresh application which was filed by the prosecutor, Mr Oladipo
Okpeseyi, urged the court to try the former National Security Adviser in
secret and also protect the witnesses by not allowing their names and
addresses to be made public in the course of the trial.
But in a strong opposition to the fresh request, the former National
Security Adviser asked the court to dismiss the government motion on the
ground that it lacks merit and constituted a gross abuse of court process.
Counsel to the former NSA, Mr Ahmed Raji, argued that there was no
justification for the federal government to have brought the motion for
secret trial for the second time having lost in the first motion filed
before the same court.
He reminded the court that government had on its own volition placed the
charges against him on the internet where the names, addresses and
positions of the witnesses were conspicuously put at the disposal of the
general public.
He reminded the court that in a ruling it dismissed the request on the
ground that the witnesses were already known by the public having given
their names and addresses to the public through the internet.
He further said that bringing the same motion to the same court
constituted a gross abuse of court process and that what the prosecution
ought to do if not satisfied with the decision of the court is to approach
the Court of Appeal to ventilate its case.
The defense did not object to the request for the adjournment but
clarified that the fresh motion for secret trial was served on the
defendant last Thursday, hence their counter affidavit prepared over the
weekend was served on Monday within the time allowed by law.
The federal government through the Department of State Services (DSS) had
in 2015 slammed a 2-count charge of unlawful possession of fire-arms and
money laundering against Colonel Dasuki.
I am Returning Back To Nigeria For Politics-Ibori
Former Delta State Govornor James Ibori, recently released from a British
prison after serving a sentence for corruption, is set to return home.
In line with normal British practice, Ibori was released in December after
serving half of his 13-year sentence, taking into account pre-trial
detention. He has now hinted of his plan to return to Nigeria within days
“What happens in African politics – you are in it until you die,” Ibori
told Reuters in London yesterday.
“I am a politician, I will always be a politician. I play the politics in
my party and in my country for the good of my people,” he said after a
court hearing, part of ongoing legal proceedings in his case.
After his release, a video surfaced on YouTube of Ibori being feted in
London by supporters including Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who said, to
cheers, that Ibori had “made” the careers of several prominent Nigerian
politicians while in prison.
Ibori declined to say whether this was true. “The prison telephone is
meant for keeping in touch … so you can reintegrate when you come out,” he
said.
Asked if he would run for office again, Ibori said he was barred from
doing so for 10 years because of his conviction, but that he intended to
appeal to have that conviction overturned.
The appeal would centre on an allegation, made by one of Ibori’s former
associates, that a British police officer had taken bribes in return for
inside information on the case before Ibori’s conviction, and that
prosecutors had covered it up.
British police said the allegation was investigated, resulting in no
arrests or charges.