The Federal Government on Monday opposed an application by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Dasuki is facing a five-count charge bordering on illegal possession of firearms and money laundering and he is seeking the permission of the Federal High Court in Abuja to go for three weeks’ medical check-up outside the country.
In the application by his lawyer, Mr. J. B. Daudu (SAN), Dasuki urged trial Justice Ademola Adeniyi to order the release of the travelling documents he surrendered to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the High Court.
The court on September 1, granted the former NSA bail on self-recognition after he submitted his international passport.
Daudu told the court that his client was suffering from a sickness that would require attention of his medical doctors abroad, pledging that the passport would be returned to the court after the three weeks’ treatment period.
Besides, Daudu stressed, the accused person ought to be presumed innocent despite the criminal charges against him.
He pleaded: “My Lord, it is only the living that can stand trial in any law court. It is highly necessary that the accused person be allowed to go for this medical attention.”
‘Abuja has good hospitals’
However, the government vehemently opposed Dasuki’s application, contending that the National Hospital in Abuja is well-equipped to handle whatever sickness he is suffering from.
Government, through the Director of Public Prosecution Mohammed Diri, maintained that the application was a deliberate ploy by Dasuki to delay his trial.
More so, the government told the court that it had already commenced a fresh investigation into another money laundering case involving Dasuki.
It urged the court to refuse the application for the accused to travel abroad, saying he could escape if allowed to leave the shores of Nigeria.
The DPP drew the attention of the court to the fact that Dasuki’s travel document was the only condition upon which he was granted bail, noting that he did not produce any surety in view of the fact that he was released on self-recognition.
Meanwhile, after listening to all the parties, Justice Adeniyi adjourned ruling on the application till Tuesday.
On witnesses’ security
Similarly, the court said it will also decide on the government’s application to mask all the witnesses that will testify against Dasuki.
It had prayed the court to okay secret trial of the former NSA.
Aside praying the court not to reflect the names of the witnesses in its record of proceedings, government asked that they be allowed to use pseudonyms.
It also applied that the witnesses be allowed access to a non-public route to and from the court premises and allow only lawyers involved in the matter and accredited newsmen to observe the trial.
The prosecuting counsel told the court that Dasuki’s trial was likely to suffer a setback considering that the witnesses declined to testify without protection for fear that they might be attacked afterwards.
The application was opposed by Dasuki’s lawyer, who urged the court to dismiss it for want of merit and for being frivolous.
-Vanguard