The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a motion filed by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), seeking to suspend his trial on charges of illegal possession of firearms.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that Dasuki’s application, founded on a non-existing reference was misconceived and lacked merit.
Ahmed Raji, Dasuki’s counsel had asked the judge to adjourn the matter indefinitely at the last sitting.
Raji argued that his client’s appeal, filed by his client against the ruling delivered by Justice Mohammed on June 15, 2017, permitting the prosecution’s witnesses to testify behind screen, was a form of reference of a constitutional question to the Court of Appeal.
The lawyer noted that his client had filed before the Court of Appeal, a motion for stay of proceedings of the trial, adding that once such motion was pending before a higher court, “the lower court is to tarry awhile to await the decisions of the higher court on the pending motion.”
Opposing the application, the prosecuting counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), described the application as “an abuse of court process.”
