•says he can’t recall N400m transaction
From: Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki,yesterday refused to confirm if the sum of N400 million paid to a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, in 2014, was for the provision of security services as he claimed not to remember anything with regard to the transaction.
Besides that, Dasuki who was confronted with documents relating to the payment by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, said he would only rely on his own records to answer questions relating to the charges against Metuh.
This was after the court dismissed his motion seeking an indefinite adjournment of his court appearance in respect of the case.
In his ruling, Justice Okon Abang said the court could not wait for the defendants to fetch document he wanted to rely upon more so that the documents were personal and not government documents.
“If the defence counsel has applied his skills, there are sufficient materials before the court he would have relied upon to ask his witness (Dasuki) some relevant questions.
“The defendant’s counsel had in his application for an adjournment not specifically mentioned the documents he wants and it was not clear whether the documents sought are government documents. The court takes it that the answers the witness has given so far in the matter represents his evidence. Besides, the witness’ role was to answer questions and not to give conditions. The application lacked merit, but I will accommodate the first defendant to ask his witness some relevant questions.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had alleged in some of the seven counts preferred against Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited that he (Metuh), fraudulently received the sum of N400 million from ONSA without any justification and spent same on the party and personal affairs.
Shortly after the ruling, Dasuki, who was dressed in white attire with a black cap entered the witness box.
The ex-NSA, who was 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 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.
He also said he could not remember if the ONSA under his watch had relations with Destra Investments Limited, the company, through which Metuh allegedly received the money from ONSA in 2014.
When shown and asked to confirm the content of the e-payment mandate earlier tendered as exhibit in the case and on which his name and signature appeared, authorising the payment of N400 million by the prosecution counsel, Dasuki said, “My name has been typed out there.”
Asked under cross-examination by the prosecution counsel, 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 prosecuting counsel, Tahir, further asked: “What services did the company, Destra Investments Limited, the second defendant render to entitle the company, the payment of N400m.”
In response, the Dasuki said, “If you want an answer, I still have to refer to my records. It would be useful for the counsel to make himself familiar with the NSA Act.”
The witness was also shown Exhibit D1, which was a letter from Diamond Bank in response to a request by EFCC. “The document is from the prosecution that is desperate to get a conviction. That is why I insist on getting my own record and referring to it. The document is a photocopy, not original.”
But when pressed further by the prosecution to tell the court the type of services Destral Investment Limited rendered to the office of the National Security Adviser for the payment of N400m, he replied, “ I have nothing to say without my record.”
Dasuki told the court that he was not being charged along with Metuh, but confirmed that he was standing trial before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in respect of his stewardship as the NSA.
Meanwhile, Dasuki has concluded his testimony and has been accordingly discharged by the court.
The case was adjourned until December 4 to entertain the defence’s next witness, billed to be former President Goodluck Jonathan.