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| Ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), |
Confined former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, addressed the Federal High Court in FCT, Abuja on Friday (today) that he could not recall if the sum of N400m paid to a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, in 2014 was for the provision of security services.
Dasuki, who was summoned to testify as the eighth defence witness on Metuh’s request, said he could not refresh his memory with the documents tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in previous proceedings and shown to him on Friday because the agency had, allegedly, shown desperation to secure a conviction.
He said, “That attached document is from the prosecution that is desperate to get a conviction. That is why I insist on getting my own records and referring to my own records.”
When reminded that the document shown to him was a certified true copy, Dasuki said, “if it is not original, then it is a photocopy.”
He was fielding questions under cross-examination by the counsel prosecuting Metuh on behalf of the EFCC, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.
The ex-NSA, who was earlier led in evidence-in-chief by Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said without recourse to his records which he had no access to while still in the custody of the Department of State Services, he would not be able to confirm the payment of N400m to Metuh or the purpose it was meant for.
The EFCC had alleged in some of the seven counts preferred against Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, that the ex-PDP spokesperson fraudulently received the sum of N400m from the ONSA without any justification and spent same on the party and personal affairs.
When shown and asked to confirm the content of the e-payment mandate earlier tendered as an exhibit in the case and on which his name and signature appeared authorising the payment of N400m, Dasuki said, “My name has been typed out there.”
Asked to read out the purpose of the payment as contained in the “e-payment mandate”, the ex-NSA said, “The purpose of payment: payment for security services.”
The witness also said he could not remember if the ONSA under his watch had a relationship with Destra Investments Limited.
Dasuki, who was summoned to testify as the eighth defence witness on Metuh’s request, said he could not refresh his memory with the documents tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in previous proceedings and shown to him on Friday because the agency had, allegedly, shown desperation to secure a conviction.
He said, “That attached document is from the prosecution that is desperate to get a conviction. That is why I insist on getting my own records and referring to my own records.”
When reminded that the document shown to him was a certified true copy, Dasuki said, “if it is not original, then it is a photocopy.”
He was fielding questions under cross-examination by the counsel prosecuting Metuh on behalf of the EFCC, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.
The ex-NSA, who was earlier led in evidence-in-chief by Metuh’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said without recourse to his records which he had no access to while still in the custody of the Department of State Services, he would not be able to confirm the payment of N400m to Metuh or the purpose it was meant for.
The EFCC had alleged in some of the seven counts preferred against Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, that the ex-PDP spokesperson fraudulently received the sum of N400m from the ONSA without any justification and spent same on the party and personal affairs.
When shown and asked to confirm the content of the e-payment mandate earlier tendered as an exhibit in the case and on which his name and signature appeared authorising the payment of N400m, Dasuki said, “My name has been typed out there.”
Asked to read out the purpose of the payment as contained in the “e-payment mandate”, the ex-NSA said, “The purpose of payment: payment for security services.”
The witness also said he could not remember if the ONSA under his watch had a relationship with Destra Investments Limited.
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