Dasuki lied, shunned arms probe panel’s invitation –Presidency

The Presidency has faulted the claim by the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), that he was not invited by the presidential committee, probing the purchase and supply of arms during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. A source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday, told The PUNCH that the Federal Government was in possession of evidence to show that Dasuki was duly invited to clear his name. He said the Department of State Services duly invited the ex-NSA, who however refused to honour the invitation. The source explained that a summons served on Dasuki was duly acknowledged by his lawyer. The former NSA had, in a statement on Wednesday, said he was never invited by the John Odeh-led panel to verify the findings of the committee before he was indicted. Dasuki, who was indicted along with others, was alleged to have awarded N333bn “fictitious and phantom” arms contracts. But he described the panel’s submission as baseless and lacking in diligence. The PUNCH had on Thursday reported that some former service chiefs would be invited by security agencies to answer questions relating to the interim report submitted by the panel. But the source in the Presidency faulted Dasuki’s claims. He added, “Don’t forget that the DSS is on that committee probing those arms deals. “He was invited by the DSS and he refused to honour the invitation despite that his lawyer acknowledged the document. “Instead for Dasuki to honour the invitation, he remained indoors and was whipping up sentiment. “If he is taken to any court without his statement, the case will automatically be thrown out.” The top government official added that all steps being taken by Dasuki to subvert the system and escape justice were known to security agencies and the government. He said at the appropriate time, Nigerians would know more about the allegations against the ex- NSA. According to the report, some of the service chiefs would be charged to court, while others would serve as prosecution witnesses during the trial of Dasuki and others. A source in the DSS on Thursday said, “Not all ex- service chiefs who will be invited, will be charged to court. Some will be witnesses. The fact that we are inviting them does not mean that they have been indicted.” When contacted to respond to Dasuki’s claim, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the committee’s work was ongoing, adding that what was submitted to the government was the preliminary report. “We won’t reply Dasuki. Investigation is still ongoing and it will not be appropriate for us to be replying him. What the panel submitted is just the preliminary report,” he said. Meanwhile, The PUNCH on Thursday obtained a copy of a letter by the DSS, dated November 4, 2015, inviting Dasuki to “meet and have audience with the Director-General, State Services on Thursday, November 5, 2015, by 1100 hours at the National Headquarters of the State Security Service, Aso Avenue, Maitama,, Abuja”. But Dasuki, through his counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), had described the invitation by the DSS as violating an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is being prosecuted for money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, granting the ex-NSA permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. Incidentally, the order of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja was granted on November 4, the same date the letter of the DSS’ letter of invitation carries. The DSS letter, with reference number LSD.860/T, and signed on behalf of the DG of DSS by A.B Abdullahi, also read, “The invitation becomes necessary to enable you to make some clarifications on matters under investigation by the Service”. The DSS, through another letter, dated November 7, 2015, invited Daudu to appear with his client (Dasuki) at the DSS headquarters in Abuja by 12noon on November 9, “to have an audience with the Director-General State Services”. FG didn’t flout order on Dasuki’s travel, says AGF The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), on Thursday said the Federal Government had not flouted the order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, granting Dasuki a permission to travel to the United Kingdom to attend to his health. Justifying the continued barricade erected by the operatives of the DSS at Dasuki’s Abuja home, Malami said the action was taken due to the refusal of the ex-NSA to submit himself to investigation on further allegations apart from the charges that were already preferred against him before the Federal High Court. The AGF, who was fielding questions from journalists and members of staff of the ministry after reading his maiden address on the occasion of his assumption of office on Thursday, argued that the action of the government with respect to Dasuki’s case was in the public interest. At the occasion, attended by directors and other staff of the ministry as well as heads of various agencies under the supervision of the ministry, Malami assured the workers that he would give adequate attention to staff welfare. Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Dasuki had been arraigned on four counts of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, had on Monday directed the AGF or his representative to appear before the court on November 23 to clarify the FG’s position on the order granted the ex-NSA. While responding to a question which raised allegation that the Federal Government had flouted the November 3, 2015, order of Justice Ademola, which had permitted Dasuki to travel abroad, Malami gave an undertaking to the effect that under President Muhammadu Buhari, “there shall not be flouting of court orders.” He added, “In some of these cases, some of these high profile culprits may be involved in multiple cases that might require investigation. If you are granted bail in respect of one issue, and the need arises for further investigation in other criminal offences, the law of the land requires investigation and you are bound, as a good citizen of the country, to submit yourself to investigation. “The interest of the nation reigns supreme above an individual interest. So, when the national interest is at stake and it has to be investigated, individual interest naturally gives way. “You can be granted bail with respect to one case and there can be other cases that public policy demands investigation. It is only natural to allow investigation to be concluded having regard to public interest that reigns supreme over and above an individual interest. “The point for consideration is whether the public interest is there as against individual interest. But as it is, this government is going to uphold due compliance with the rule of law and sustain public interest and sustenance of its tenets.” President Buhari had on Tuesday received the interim report of the 13-man committee, set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date with a directive that all indicted persons be arrested and brought to book. Malami added on Thursday that his administration would undertake an audit of high profile corruption cases “so that those who are found wanting through the compromise of investigation and prosecution processes shall be prosecuted.” Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Taiwo Abisogun, called for the support of the members of staff of the ministry and agencies under it for the new Attorney General of the Federation to achieve his set goals. Director of Public Prosecutions in the ministry, Mr. Mohammad Diri, urged the AGF to stop engaging private solicitors to handle cases for the government, assuring the minister that the ministry had competent lawyers. The November 7 letter, also signed by A.B Abdluahi, stated that the fresh invitation was sequel to Daudu’s “request in an earlier discussion with the Head of Legal Department of this Service”. But in his response to the DSS’ latest letter, Daudu wrote a reply, dated November 8, 2015, indicating that they could not honour the invitation by the Service due to alleged violation of the court order granted Dasuki to travel abroad earlier on November 4. Daudu’s letter with reference number JBD/ABJ/ DSS/357/2015, read in part, “It is now clear that the defendant (our client) has been and is being frustrated in his desire to receive medical attention with his medical practitioner of choice abroad before his trail commences. “It is our client’s instruction and our considered opinion that this request or ‘invitation, coming at a time the ‘Service’ is in breach of a court order, is a subtle attempt to remove the sting from this act of ‘Executive Lawlessness’. “It is therefore for the foregoing reasons that our client and by extension, we, his counsel, are unable to accede to your request as described above”. SOURCE: PUNCH.