An Abuja high court has overruled the federal government in its decision to confine the detained former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki to the premises of the Department of the State Security Service to access and brief his lawyer on the charges of corruption brought against him.
The court ordered that former NSA must be allowed to access and brief his lawyers at a neutral place instead of the premises of the DSS headquarters in Abuja so as to enable him prepare adequately for his defense in the trial.
Justice Husain Baba Yusuf, who issued the order directed that henceforth the detained former NSA should be allowed by the DSS operatives to access his lawyers within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory judiciary headquarters in Maitama, Abuja between Monday to Friday during the week.
The pronouncement of Justice Baba Yusuf followed a complaint by Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr Adeola Adedipe, that the legal team for Dasuki had not been allowed to have direct access to him in spite of a court order made on April 6.
At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to the federal government, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had told the judge that the case was slated for commencement of trial and that he was fully ready with his witnesses that will testify in the case.
However, Adedipe rose and informed the court that he was not ready for any trial because the ruling of April 6 which ordered DSS to allow them access their client for briefing so as to prepare his defence has not been complied with by the security agency.
The counsel claimed that a letter by Dasuki’s team of lawyers to the DSS asking for the order to be enforced was replied by the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, who said that access to Dasuki would be granted at a convenient room at the DSS headquarters.
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