An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf has granted bail to the embattled former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and two others who are standing trial before the court on a 19-count charge bordering on criminal diversion of funds preferred against them by the Federal Government.
Ruling on the bail application filed by the accused persons, Justice Baba-Yusuf granted them bail on the condition that they provide one reasonable and responsible surety in the sum of N250m and a landed property in the federal capital territory worth the same amount.
The court further directed that the surety must be a Civil Servant not below the rank of a Director in the Federal Civil Service.
According to the court, the surety must also swear to an affidavit of means while the accused persons are expected to deposit their travel documents before the court.
They are also to inform the court whenever they need to travel outside the federal capital territory.
Justice Baba-Yusuf had earlier ordered that Dasuki and the Director of Finance and Administration at the NSA’s office, Shuaibu Salisu, should be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.
The embattled former NSA and two others were on Monday arraigned before the court on 19 fresh charges bordering on alleged illegal diversion of public funds, to which they all pleaded not guilty.
When the bail application was argued, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the bail application of the accused persons on the ground that they could jump bail.
Others charged alongside Dasuki and Salisu are Aminu Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Hospital Limited.
According to the charge sheet read to the accused persons by the court registrar, the sum of N1.45 billion was transferred into the account of Acacia Holdings Limited for special prayers; N170 million was used for the purchase of a four-bedroom duplex; N2.1 billion was paid into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited; N380 million was shared to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and another N750 million was paid into the account of Reliance Referral Hospital Limited for special prayers.
Other expenditures include the payment of N670 million to a publisher; the transfer of N260 million to Chief Tony Anenih and another N345 million traced to Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, erstwhile Senate President.
The charges in part read: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser and Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa (now at large) whilst being Senior Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs, to the President, on or about 27th November within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N10billion being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the CBN, the equivalent of which sum you received from the CBN in foreign currencies to wit: $47million and €5.6million 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.
“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between 22nd January 2015 and 19th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N2,120,000,000 which was in the account of National Security Adviser with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by one Dr. Raymond Dokpesi for the funding of media activities for the 2015 Presidential Election Campaign for the PDP and you thereby committed an offence punishable under under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.
“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 12th December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N90million which was in the account of the ONSA with Diamond Bank Plc, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of Brains and Hammers Limited for the purchase of 7-bedroom duplex house at No.11 Mansur Bamalli Drive (D1064), Apo 1 Abuja and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004”.
