A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, has refused to grant the prayers of former National Security Adviser, Retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, seeking the intervention of ‘friends of the Court’ (Amicus Curiae) in his trial.

An Amicus Curiae is a person who may not have been hired by a party in the case but is considered impartial to offer advice or information in a case.

Colonel Dasuki who says he is not satisfied with the manner his trial has gone in the last three years, particularly the refusal of the Federal Government (prosecution) to obey orders of courts regarding his bail, had applied for a leave of the Court to call Amicus Curiae to intervene.

But in a ruling on Tuesday, presiding Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, declined Dasuki’s request on the grounds that the application did not meet with the conditions for the order of Amicus Curiae sought.

Consequently, he dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

Colonel Dasuki’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe informed the court that on January 9, 2019, he had filed a motion seeking leave of court to call for stakeholders in law to intervene in the matter.

“An unusual situation calls for an unusual condition,” he said.

Citing section 1 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015, Adedipe further explained that the Amicus Curiae would enable all to have a robust deliberation.

Eminent Senior Advocates of Nigeria to make up for the Amicus Curiae, according to him are Femi Falana, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu and Olisa Agbakoba.

Meanwhile, in a sister suit, Justice Baba-Yusuf has fixed February 27 for ruling in the application by Dasuki asking for an indefinite adjournment pending when the judgment of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court Abuja on July 2, 2018, is complied with.

Defendants in the suit are Dasuki, a former NNPC Executive Director, Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two firms — Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital.

They were arraigned on 32 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and dishonest release and receiving of various sums of money to the tune of N33.3 billion.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report

Update news