A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application by the State Security Service, SSS, to use masked witnesses against a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who is on trial for alleged corruption and illegal possession of firearms.
The SSS had asked Justice Adeniyi Ademola to allow the use of masked witnesses against Dasuki, bBut the court dismissed the application.
Justice Ademola said that there was no need for the witnesses to be masked since the SSS had in its charges listed the names and addresses of 11 witnesses to be called to testify against Dasuki, and that the list had been made available to the general public.
Ademola also said there was no basis to all witnesses wear special masks, bear pseudo names and addresses because the charges against Dasuki was not terrorism-related and that there was no information that the life of any of the witnesses to be called was being threatened by anybody or group.
The court on Tuesday also dismissed an application challenging his arrest and detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for possession of firearms.
The former NSA had described the charge as illegal and a breach of his right, but in his ruling, Justice Ademola held that Dasuki had the legal right to challenge the proceedings of the court if he felt unsatisfied with its proceedings.
He however noted that the case would not be stopped, as pleaded by Dasuki, since the former NSA had no cogent reason for the application.
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