Dasuki, Others Arraigned For Alleged N13b Fraud

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Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Mohammad Sambo Dasuki was on Monday arraigned for alleged diversion of public funds estimated at N32 billion, The Nation report.

Also arraigned were the ex-Director of Finance in the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, ex-Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa and two companies.

Dasuki, Salisu, Baba-Kusa and the two companies — Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited— were arraigned before Justice Baba Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja on a 19-count charge.

They were charged with conspiracy and criminal breach of trust under the Penal Code Act and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establsihment) Act.

Dasuki and Salisu were accused of distributing funds held in the account of the NSA in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to politicians, media practitioners and businessmen purportedly for political campaigns and organising of prayer sessions.

The duo were, in counts 5, 6, 7 and 8 accused of paying N2.2billion to Baba-Kusa through the bank accounts of Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited in Zenith Bank Plc.

Dasuki, Salisu and former Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs to the President, Warimpamowei Dudafa (now at large) were, in count 1, said to have received N10billion, which they converted to $47m and 5.6m Euro, and claimed to have distributed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election delegates around November 27, 2014.

Dasuki and Salihu were, in count 2, said to have, between January 22 and March 19, 2015 “remitted N2,120,000,000 into the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by one Dr. Raymond Dokpesi for the funding of the media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.

They were in counts 15, 16 and 17 accused of paying N670m “to the bank account of General Hydrocarbons Limited with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc controlled by one Obaigbena Nduka purporting the said sum to be payment for’ energy consulting’; “N250m to the bank account of Tony Anenih with First Bank of Nigeria Plc”; and “N345m to the bank account of Starbriid Limited with Stanbic IBTC Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank controlled by one Emmanuel Lawani on behalf of Senator Iyorchia Ayu for the construction of shopping mall at Jabi, Abuja.

Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital were charged in counts 9, 10, 11 and 12 with receiving funds from Dasuki and Salihu which they knew to be proceeds of criminal conduct.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them yesterday. Their bail application could not be taken, following which the court adjourned to today, at about 12 noon for the hearing of the bail application and the counter affidavit by the prosecution team led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN). They are to remain in the custody of the EFCC till the court considers their bail application.

Counts of the charge read thus: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser and Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa(now at large) whilst being Senior Special Assistant , Domestic Affairs to the President on or about 27th November within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N10billion being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the CBN, the equivalent of which sum you received from the CBN in foreign currencies to wit: $47million and €5.6million Euros committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you claimed to have distributed same to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Primary Election delegates and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between 22nd January 2015 and 19th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N2,120,000,000 which was in the account of National Security Adviser with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by one Dr. Raymond Dokpesi for the funding of media activities for the 2015 Presidential Election Campaign for the PDP and you thereby committed an offence punishable under under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 12th December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N90million which was in the account of the ONSA with Diamond Bank Plc, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of Brains and Hammers Limited for the purchase of 7-bedroom duplex house at No.11 Mansur Bamalli Drive(D1064), Apo 1 Abuja in the name of the son of Dasuki and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 28th January 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N170million which was in the account of the ONSA with Skye Bank Plccommitted criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of Urban Abode Nigerian Limited for the purchase of 4-bedroom duplex house at Plot 2562/2643 Platinum Villa(PV) Asokoro Abuja in the name of AVM M.N. Umaru and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser between 9th October 2014 and 17th April 2015 in Abuja dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N1.45billion belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Acacia Holdings Limited’s bank account controlled by one Aminu Baba-Kusa purporting same to be payment for organising prayers and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 17th April 2015 in Abuja, dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N750million belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s bank account in favour of one Aminu Baba-Kusa purporting same to be payment for organising prayers and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Acaci Holdings Limited and Aminu Baba-Kusa between 9th October 2014 and 17th April 2915 in Abuja knew that an aggregate sum of N1.45b directly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Mohammed Sambo Dasuki and Shuaibu Salisu who were NSA and the Director of Finance of ONSA respectively to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the said amount, used the said property and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 17(b) of the EFCC(Establishment) Act 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 9th April 2015 in Abuja dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N380million belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Belsha Nigeria Limited’s bank account controlled by Hon. Bello Matanwalle for distribution to support some members of the House of Representatives for their re-election campaign and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between 12th August 2014 and 23rd March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N670million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account of General Hydrocarbons Limited with the Guaranty Trust Bank controlled by one Nduka Obaigbena purporting the said sum to be payment for “energy consulting” and and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) on or about 28th November 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N260million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with Skye Bank Plc committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account of Tony Anenih with First Bank of Nigeria Plc and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between 8th January and 4th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: an aggregate sum of N345million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account Starbriid Limited with Stanbic IBTC and Guaranty Trust Bank controlled by one Emmanuel Lawani on behalf of Senator Iyorchia Ayu for the construction of shopping mall at Jabi, Abuja, purporting the said sum to be payment for satellite charges and security equipment and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

“That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) between October 2014 and April 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust by public officers in respect of an aggregate sum of N13.570 billion being part if the funds in the accounts of the ONSA and that the same act was done in pursuance of the agreement among you and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004,”

Former Minister of State for Finance Bashir Yuguda, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and four others listed in a separate charge of 22 counts are scheduled to be arraigned today before Justice Peter Affen of the High Court of the FCT, Maitama, Abuja.

Their planned arraignment yesterday was stalled by the absence of some lawyers to some of the accused persons.

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