For the second time, the Nigerian government has applied to the Federal
\nHigh Court in Abuja for secret trial and protection of witnesses that will
\ntestify against the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki
\nin the case of unlawful possession of fire-arms and money laundering
\nbrought against him.<\/p>\n
The fresh application which was filed by the prosecutor, Mr Oladipo
\nOkpeseyi, urged the court to try the former National Security Adviser in
\nsecret and also protect the witnesses by not allowing their names and
\naddresses to be made public in the course of the trial.<\/p>\n
But in a strong opposition to the fresh request, the former National
\nSecurity Adviser asked the court to dismiss the government motion on the
\nground that it lacks merit and constituted a gross abuse of court process.<\/p>\n
Counsel to the former NSA, Mr Ahmed Raji, argued that there was no
\njustification for the federal government to have brought the motion for
\nsecret trial for the second time having lost in the first motion filed
\nbefore the same court.<\/p>\n
He reminded the court that government had on its own volition placed the
\ncharges against him on the internet where the names, addresses and
\npositions of the witnesses were conspicuously put at the disposal of the
\ngeneral public.<\/p>\n
He reminded the court that in a ruling it dismissed the request on the
\nground that the witnesses were already known by the public having given
\ntheir names and addresses to the public through the internet.<\/p>\n
He further said that bringing the same motion to the same court
\nconstituted a gross abuse of court process and that what the prosecution
\nought to do if not satisfied with the decision of the court is to approach
\nthe Court of Appeal to ventilate its case.<\/p>\n
The defense did not object to the request for the adjournment but
\nclarified that the fresh motion for secret trial was served on the
\ndefendant last Thursday, hence their counter affidavit prepared over the
\nweekend was served on Monday within the time allowed by law.<\/p>\n
The federal government through the Department of State Services (DSS) had
\nin 2015 slammed a 2-count charge of unlawful possession of fire-arms and
\nmoney laundering against Colonel Dasuki.<\/p>\n
I am Returning Back To Nigeria For Politics-Ibori<\/p>\n
Former Delta State Govornor James Ibori, recently released from a British
\nprison after serving a sentence for corruption, is set to return home.<\/p>\n
In line with normal British practice, Ibori was released in December after
\nserving half of his 13-year sentence, taking into account pre-trial
\ndetention. He has now hinted of his plan to return to Nigeria within days<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens in African politics \u2013 you are in it until you die,\u201d Ibori
\ntold Reuters in London yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a politician, I will always be a politician. I play the politics in
\nmy party and in my country for the good of my people,\u201d he said after a
\ncourt hearing, part of ongoing legal proceedings in his case.<\/p>\n
After his release, a video surfaced on YouTube of Ibori being feted in
\nLondon by supporters including Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who said, to
\ncheers, that Ibori had \u201cmade\u201d the careers of several prominent Nigerian
\npoliticians while in prison.<\/p>\n
Ibori declined to say whether this was true. \u201cThe prison telephone is
\nmeant for keeping in touch \u2026 so you can reintegrate when you come out,\u201d he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Asked if he would run for office again, Ibori said he was barred from
\ndoing so for 10 years because of his conviction, but that he intended to
\nappeal to have that conviction overturned.<\/p>\n
The appeal would centre on an allegation, made by one of Ibori\u2019s former
\nassociates, that a British police officer had taken bribes in return for
\ninside information on the case before Ibori\u2019s conviction, and that
\nprosecutors had covered it up.<\/p>\n
British police said the allegation was investigated, resulting in no
\narrests or charges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n