Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja vowed yesterday to report to the court’s Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, the disparaging comments made about him by Joseph Daudu (SAN), lawyer to ex-National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.
Dasuki was arraigned before the court last year on charges of illegal arms possession and money laundering.
Despite efforts by his team of lawyers to prevent the commencement of trial in the case, the court allowed the prosecution to open its case on Wednesday, during which it called its first witness.
Although Dasuki’s legal team, led by Ahmed Raji (SAN), was in court and cross-examined the first prosecution witness, Samuel Ogbu for two days, Daudu wrote the judge yesterday, accusing him of compelling the defence to face trial.
Daudu was said to have, in the letter, accused the judge of putting pressure on the defendant to face trial when the prosecution was in breach of the order of the court.
The judge, in a ruling on April 19, dismissed an application by Daudu seeking among others to quash the charge against Dasuki on the ground that the Federal Government allegedly breached the court’s earlier order granting the defendant bail.
Justice Ademola’s ruling made it the third time a court in the country would dismiss that application by Daudu.
Dasuki is involved in three different charges before three courts. He is charges with some others in alleged money laundering charges before Justices Hussein Baba Yusuf and Peter Affen of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja.
He is charged alone before Justice Ademola of the Federal High Court on charges of illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.
In separate rulings earlier this year, Justice Hu Baba-Yusuf and Affen dismissed application by Dasuki seeking to be discharged of the charges against him.
He also sought to restrain the Federal Government from further prosecuting him in any court in Nigeria on the ground that the Fed Govt allegedly flouted orders of the court, admitting him to bail.
Justice Ademola, in the ruling on April 19, referred to earlier rulings by Justices Baba-Yusuf and Affen and held that the reliefs sought by Dasuki were “not grantable”.
Before ordering the prosecution to open its case on Wednesday, Justice Ademola also refused an application for stay of proceedings made orally by Raji, on the ground that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 frowns at such indulgence.
At the conclusion of Raji’s cross-examination of Ogbu yesterday, Justice Ademola drew Raji’s attention to the letter by Daudu.
The judge, who was bitter about Daudu’s allegation in the letter, said: “The letter is highly objectionable. And I will send the letter to the Chief Judge.”
Justice Ademola adjourned further proceedings to June 8 when the prosecution is expected to call its second witness.
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