Former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, rtd, was on Thursday, re-arraigned by the Federal Government on amended charges of money laundering, theft of firearms and illegal possession of firearms.
Dasuki pleaded not guilty to all the seven counts when they were read to him before Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The case which was originally filed in 2015, is being heard by Justice Adeniyi Ademola until October 2016.
Justice Ademola was accused of corruption and subsequently put on trial by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.
Justice Ademola and his wife were acquitted on Wednesday.
However, following Ademola’s trial, the case was transferred to Justice Mohammed, who had to start hearing afresh.
After the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges on Thursday, both the prosecuting counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi, SAN, and the defence counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, agreed that the bail earlier granted to the ex-NSA by Justice Ademola in the same terms and condition should stand.
Justice Mohammed adopted the bail in the same terms and conditions, even though Dasuki had remained in the custody of the Department of State Service, DSS, since December 2015 and was only produced in court for his trials.
In addition to the five counts contained in the transferred case, the Office of the AGF in the amended charges, added two more counts bordering on stealing and being in illegal possession of firearms.
The firearms mentioned in the two counts include five Tavor X95 assault rifles with numbers 45801168, 45801169,45801175, 45801176 and 4801199.
The items, among other arms, ammunition and cash sums were allegedly recovered from Dasuki’s houses in Sokoto and Abuja during search operations by operatives of the Department of State Service on July 16 and 17, 2015 respectively.
Justice Mohammed adjourned until April 11 for the hearing of the prosecution’s application for witness protection.
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