FG seeks secret trial for Dasuki

Dasuki-Sambo

The Federal Government has opted for secret trial of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

The government has also filed additional charges against him before the Federal High Court, Abuja, where he was earlier arraigned for illegal arms possession.

Our correspondent gathered that government has added a

money laundering charge to the illegal arm possession allegation pending against Dasuki before the court.

Prosecution lawyer, Shauibu Labaran, on Monday argued a motion urging the court conduct the trial in secret to among others protect the identity of state’s witnesses.

In the motion brought under sections 36(4) of the Constitution and 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, the state wants an order directing that the names and addresses of all its witnesses be excluded from records or reports of proceedings that may be accessible to the public.

It also urged the court to keep the names and other identities of the witnesses secret from the public.

Apart from lawyers and accredited journalists, the state asked the court to exclude members of the public from the trial and that the witnesses be permitted to wear face masks while giving evidence.

Defence lawyer, Joseph Daudu, opposed the prosecution’s motion, arguing that all information about the prosecution witnesses were already in public domain.