The Federal High Court in Abuja again postponed Wednesday the 10-year-old trial of former National Security Adviser, or NSA, Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, on charges of illegal firearm possession.
Because one of the federal government’s witnesses was unable to testify, the trial was postponed once more.
The new adjournment occurred despite Justice Peter Lifu’s existing order requiring the federal government to wrap up the trial’s proceedings this September.
A. A. Usman, Dasuki’s attorney, cross-examined Monsur Mohammed, the first prosecuting witness and a Department of State Services (DSS) agent, during Wednesday’s proceedings.
But after the first witness was briefly cross-examined, Justice Peter Lifu gave the federal government attorneys, under the direction of Chief Oladipupo Okpeseyi, SAN, instructions to call his next witness.
In response, the senior lawyer told the court that the proposed witness was not yet in court and applied for a stand-down of the trial to enable him to contact the witness.
Despite the fact that the request was approved, Okpeseyi, SAN, arrived approximately an hour later and requested an adjournment, citing the witness’s inability to appear in court.
The senior attorney claimed that the witness chose to be with his mother while she underwent surgery in a hospital in Abuja.
At this point, the senior attorney acknowledged that Justice Peter Lifu had previously ordered that the ten-year-old trial be finished this month.
On September 25, Justice Peter Lifu set a date for the trial to continue and for the federal government to organize its affairs by making sure that all of the witnesses are gathered and brought to court.
The first witness, who identified himself as a DSS Store Keeper, had previously stated during cross-examination that he had 18 years of experience with the secret police and was trained to handle weapons and ammunition.
However, he acknowledged that he lacked a DSS-issued special license to handle firearms.
At the last adjourned date, Justice Lifu had scheduled September 24, 25, and 26 for the federal government to wrap up Dasuki’s ten-year-old prosecution.
In order to prove its claims against the retired officer within the allotted three days, the judge had warned the federal government to call any more witnesses and present exhibits.
Dasuki, who has been on trial since 2015 under the former Muhammadu Buhari government on an amended seven-count charge of illegal firearm possession and money laundering, is also anticipated to begin his defense.
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