TheCable

A high court in Abuja has ruled that the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA), will commence on November 16.

Dasuki is accused of diverting about $2.1 billion meant to purchase arms to combat the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east.

On Wednesday, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the federal government, and Joseph Daudu, counsel to Dasuki, had agreed to ask Justice Ishaq Bello, chief judge of the federal capital territory, to consolidate the charges against the former NSA.

On Friday, the matter, which was to be heard simultaneously before Justices Peter Affen and Hussein Baba-Yusuf, ended up being transferred to the latter by the chief judge after lengthy deliberations.

Baba-Yusuf, the judge, agreed with counsels for November 16 to be date when Dasuki will be re-arraigned.

Earlier, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to federal government, explained that the charges against Dasuki would not be consolidated since the two cases were going under the same judge.

“It appears that all the lawyers are tired of the undue delay of these two cases. We agreed that the two cases go before the same judge and the CJ has transferred the case before Justice Affen to the court of Hon. Justice Baba-Yusuf, so that’s were we are,” Jacobs said.

“Once the two cases are before the same judge, so the issue of consolidation will not arise.”

Others standing trial with the Dasuki are Shaibu Salisu, former Director of finance in the office of the NSA; Aminu Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holding Limited; and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.