Court orders release of Dasuki’s passport

‎The federal high court, Abuja, on Tuesday, granted Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), permission to travel abroad for medical check-up.

Adeniyi Ademola, the judge, ordered the release of the former NSA’s international passport to him on the grounds that prosecuting counsel was not able to prove why he should be stopped from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

On Monday, Joseph Daodu, Dasuki’s lawyer, had prayed the court to grant his client a three-week “leave”‎ to travel abroad for medical check-up.

He argued that Dasuki had earlier failed to keep an appointment with his doctor, owing to the seizure of his travelling document. He further said that the former NSA was a public figure who would not try to evade justice.

But Mohammed Diri, the prosecuting counsel, urged the court to dismiss Dasuki’s request. He argued that the three-week absence of the defendant would stall his trial.

He further said that the former NSA was still being investigated for money laundering by the Department of State Services (DSS), hence his temporary departure might hamper the investigation.

Diri also said that the release of the travelling document to Dasuki implied that there was no condition attached his bail.

However, in his ruling, Ademola held that the defendant was granted bail on self-recognisance on September 1, which meant he was granted bail without conditions.

After dismissing the arguments of the prosecution, he ordered the immediate release of the travelling document to Dasuki on the grounds that his counsel must sign an undertaking agreeing to produce him on the date of trial.

He adjourned ruling on the application of the prosecuting counsel for a secret trial of Dasuki to November 26.