By Edith Nwapi
A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’ witness on Tuesday told an Abuja High Court that retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, duly signed the payment mandates made to the two companies charged in his trial.
Dasuki a former National Security Adviser (NSA)is facing trial on an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money to the tune of N33.2 billion.
He was accused of misappropriation of security funds in the accounts of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa.
Others are two firms: Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC arraigned the four defendants afresh on, March 25 in a case that started in 2015.
They accused Dasuki, among others, of releasing the equivalent of N10billion in foreign currencies from the NSA’s account.
The account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the 2014 presidential primary election of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dasuki and his co-defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the case , PW1, Adariku Michael, a detective with the EFCC informed the court that, his team wrote a letter to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) requesting for the registration status of various companies and individuals.
He was taken in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN According to him, CAC responded and the responses were adimitted in evidence by the since the defendants did not object.
He said that the analysis of the responses revealed that the 2nd defendant (Baba-Kusa) owned two companies mentioned.
” We discovered that Acacia Holdings (3rd defendant) and Arabcaria farms Ltd are sister companies owned by the 2nd defendant.
” In regards to Medical Ltd and Reliance Referral Hospital, the 2nd defendant ‘s wife is a major shareholder. Reliance Referral Hospital, also belongs to the 2nd defendant” he told the court.
The witness told the court that Zenith Bank received payment mandate instructions of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
” Instructions directing the bank to debit operation account of ONSA with the sum of N600 million , N750 million and crediting same to Acacia Holdings Limited ‘s United Bank for Africa (UBA)’account.
” others are Ecobank account and Reliance Referral Hospital ‘s account in First bank.
” The payment mandate was duly signed by the first defendant (Dasuki), He told the court.
He added that analysis of the records of Acacia Holdings ‘s account in UBA revealed that another N200 million was transferred from ONSA to that account.
The defendants ‘ counsel , A A Usman for Dasuki, Solomon Umoh, SAN for Baba-Kusa and Acacia Holdings Limited and A O Ayodele for Reliance Referral Hospital Limited reserved their objections.
Justice Charles Agbaza adjourned the case until Jan. 13,2026 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)