N13B Fraud: Dasuki, Bafarawa, Yuguda, Others Get Bail On Stringent Conditions

A former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, ex-Minister of Finance, Bashir Yuguda, a former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu and two others were today granted bail of N250 million bond each and a surety in like sum by a Federal Capital Territory( FCT) High Court .

Dasuki and the five accused, who are facing a 22-count criminal charge bordering on allegations of diversion, misappropriation and breach of trust in respect of N13.6 billion, brought against them by the federal government, were granted bail by Justice Peter Affen.

The bail is different from the one granted last week’s Thursday to three of the accused persons including Dasuki by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf. Justice Affen ruling on their bail application today, in respect of the 22-count money laundering charges to the tune of N13 billion, duplicated the conditions for bail given by his colleague last week and directed the six accused to produce sureties, one must be a serving or retired Director in the Federal Civil Service.

“The sureties must provide property worth N250 million within Abuja, and an evidence of means. The defendants are also expected to deposit their travel passports and their counsels must notify the court of any intention by the defendants to travel out of Abuja”, the trial judge stated.

Justice Affen ordered that the six accused persons who were put on trial by the federal government for allegedly squandering of the huge sum as payment for alleged supply of security equipment, are to be remanded in Kuje Prison until they perfect their bail conditions. He adjourned the matter for trial till February 02 and 03, 2016.

Dasuki and five other accused persons, comprising Yuguda, Salisu, Bafarawa, his son; Saggir Bafarawa and his company, Dalhatu Investment, are facing trial on the 22-count charge.

Part of their charge reads: “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 ( NSA) between April 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015 in Abuja, entrusted with dominion of over, N3.5 billion, being part of the fund in the account of the office of the NSA, with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) committed criminal breach of trust by transferring the money into the account of Dalhatu Investment Limited with United Bank for Africa (UBA) purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Vol.4 LFN 2004″.

“That you Dalhatu Investment Limited, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafarawa, between April 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015 in Abuja dishonestly received stolen property amounting to N3.5 billion into your account with UBA from the account of the office of the NSA with the CBN, which belongs to the Federal government and knowing the same to be stolen property but purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment and thereby committed an offence under section 317 of the penal code Act Cap 532, Vol.4 LFN 2004”