The Federal Government on Tuesday
arraigned a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.),
before a Federal High Court in Abuja on one count of possession of
firearms without licence.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola granted him bail
on self-recognition shortly after he pleaded not guilty to the charge
which was said to violate provisions of 27(1)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act,
Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
In a short ruling on his bail application
which was not opposed by the prosecution, Justice Ademola ordered that
Dasuki should deposit his diplomatic passport and other travelling
documents to the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, of the court, as the only
condition for the bail.
The
judge also ordered that Dasuki’s travelling documents, which might be
currently in the custody of any government agency, should be retrieved
and deposited with the court.
The firearms, which Dasuki was accused of
possessing without licence, include five Tavor riffles, 20 magazines,
five rifle slings, five packets of servicing kit, one packet of MOD AP9
Cal. 9mm Luger No. 033373, small magazine containing 16 rounds of 9mm
ammunition and bigger magazine containing 23 five rounds of 9mm
ammunition.
Others are one Macro Uzi with serial Number 60244, one magazine with 16 rounds of live 9mm ammunition and 36 rounds of live 9mm.
Some of the items were said to have been recovered from his Range Rover car with number plate Abuja RBC 517 JN.
The items were said to have been
recovered during a search of his residence at 13, John Khadiya Street,
Asokoro, Abuja on July 16, 2015.
While arguing Dasuki’s application for
bail, the lead defence counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, who appeared with Mr.
Ahmed Raji (SAN), along with other lawyers, described the charge as
looking “very simple, but it is a very slippery charge.”
Daudu contended that his client needed to
be on bail for him to be able to effectively defend himself. He also
insisted that the alleged offence was a bailable one, adding that since
the prosecution said the investigation of the case had been completed,
there would be no fear that the defendant would interfere with
investigation.
The prosecution, led by the Director,
Directorate of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice,
Mr. M.S Diriý, did not oppose the bail application as he opted to leave
the granting of bail and on which terms to the discretion of the judge.
The judge, after delivering his ruling on the bail application, adjourned till October 26 and 27 for trial.
0 comments:
Post a Comment