ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has floored the Federal Government and the Department of State Service (DSS) in one of the first rulings of Federal High Court (FHC) sitting in Abuja, which granted his application for speedy and urgent medical treatment abroad.
The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola in his ruling today (Tuesday), dismissed the counter argument by the prosecuting counsel, opposing Dasuki’s need for medical check-up outside the country.
Justice AdemoIa held that in criminal trial an accused person is assumed innocent until proven guilty and that a citizen’s health was very paramount in any trial case and before the law.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He, therefore, ordered for the release of Dasuki’s international passports to enable “him to attend three-weeks medical treatment”.
The presiding judge also ordered the registrar to release the passport to the defendant with a caveat that “when the defendant returns he must submit his passport within the 72 hours to the Court Registrar”.
The former NSA was first charged on Monday August 24 on a one-count charge of illegal possession of firearms but was immediately granted bail on self recognition with Justice Ademola ordering the DSS to submit his seized passport to the court registrar.
But when the case came up on October 26, Dasuki asked the court for the release of his travel passport to enable him attend to his personal health issues abroad and as well objected to the secret trial requested by the federal government, preferring open trial of the case for the benefit of the public.
