By Tosin Omoniyi
A Federal High Court on Monday in Abuja granted bail to the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, who is standing trial on a one count charge of illegal possession of firearms.
Dasuki, who pleaded not guilty to the allegations leveled against him, was granted bail on self recognition.
Investigators had told the court that the alleged crime is punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms CAP F28 LFN 2004,”
Dasuki’s defense counsel, Joseph Bodunrin Daodu, in his submission, however, said the alleged offence was a bailable one.
He added also that the law presumed an accused person innocent until it was disproved in a competent court of law.
He argued that since the accused was a responsible Nigerian who had held a top level security office in the country without betrayal and, thus, eligible for bail.
He subsequently relied on Section 158 (1) (2) (3) of the new Administration of Justice Act and Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution to apply for bail on behalf of his client.
Following the no objection by the prosecutor, Mohammed Diri, who doubles as the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, DPPF, the presiding judge, Adeniyi Ademola, granted bail to Dasuki.
The judge, however, ordered that the defendant deposit all his travelling documents with the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation of the court.
Dasuki, who had attended the hearing from home will return on October 26 and 27, when the case comes up for further hearing.
Dasuki’s homes were raided by operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS, on July 16, just 48 hours after he left office as NSA.
The DSS explained that it raided the Abuja and Sokoto homes of the erstwhile NSA after it obtained credible intelligence that he was planning to commit treasonable felony against the government.
The DSS also claimed that it recovered sophisticated arms and ammunitions, military related gears and 12 new vehicles, including five bullet-proof cars from Dasuki’s home, a situation he could not explain.