The detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki has told the Federal High Court in Abuja, that he could no long remember the details of his dealings with the former National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in 2014. Speaking for the first time, in continuation of Metuh’s trial today, November 1, in court, when asked if he had any dealing with Metuh or his company, Dasuki said he cannot recall if he had any dealings with them from his memory.
The witness entered the witness box as Metuh’s eight defence witness after Justice Okon Abang dismissed the ex-NSA’s application seeking an adjourment pending the determination of his motion in relation to the subpoena issued him pending in the Court of Appeal. Dasuki, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since December 2015, was produced in court by the agency’s operatives on Wednesday following an application by Metuh that the ex-NSA be summoned.
He said, “if I had any dealings as it relates to this case. It is not possible that without references to my record I can say I had any dealings with them.” When asked if he knows the functions of the National Security Adviser, Dasuki said it’s public knowledge that he is essentially a principal staff officer in the office of the president.
He was then asked why he is in court. Dasuki said he is in court to answer a subpoena even though he has not benefitted from other court rulings. The court then asked Dasuki to explain why Chief Metuh and his company are being charged for receiving money from his office as NSA.
Dasuki said it will be difficult to give any details on the issue of monies paid to Olisa Metuh and his company without references to his records. “Three years is a long time to recall such. I cannot answer questions on the charges without consulting my records,” Dasuki said.
He was then asked to tell the court when he will have access to his records. The former NSA said, as soon as the authorities decide to obey four subsisting orders for bail in his favour and one ECOWAS court ruling and release him from the hole he is in, that is when he will be able to give a timeline.
“But as long as I am in detention the answer is I don’t know,” Dasuki said. When asked if he is making efforts to enforce the orders. He said he has processes in court and maybe by the time the case gets to the Supreme Court and it is in his favour those in charge today will obey.
He was then asked to confirm if his appeal at the Supreme Court is on the 25th of January 2018. Dasuki said ‘Yes.’
