The Federal Government has explained why former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Mohammed Dasuki (rtd) cannot leave the country despite a court order allowing him to visit the United Kingdom (UK) for three weeks to attend to his health.
It said Dasuki must honour the invitation of November 4 by the Department of State Services (DSS) to clarify some issues relating to fresh allegations of money laundering against him.
The government denied Dasuki’s allegation that security agents laid siege to his Abuja home and prevented him from travelling as ordered by the Federal High Court on November 3.
A counter affidavit filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice to Dasuki’s motion dated November 9, said the DSS was only performing its statutory responsibilities.
Dasuki, who is on trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja on a five-count charge of money laundering and illegal firearms possession, told the court on November 13 that the DSS prevented him from travelling and laid siege to his Abuja home.
His lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), said despite the order made by the court on November 3, he was being prevented from travelling by security agents, who have allegedly laid siege to his Abuja home.
A lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Labaran Magaji, denied Daudu’s claim, a development that informed the decision by Justice Adeniyi Ademola to invite the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), to brief him today on issues surrounding the case.
Justice Ademola also fixed today for the hearing of Dasuki’s motion of November 9 and the counter affidavit by the Federal Ministry of Justice on November 11.
The government stated, in the counter affidavit, “that the complainant has not in any way violated the order of this court granted on September 1 and November 3”.
It added: “The defendant is undergoing an investigation for other laundering offences other than the ones already before the court in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/319/2015; the fact that the defendant is standing trial for one offence does not exculpate him from being investigated for other fresh money laundering offences.
“The Department of State Services (DSS) has not and never obstructed or interferes with the liberty of the defendant, his visitors or any member of his family or access to his residence located at No 13 John Kadiya Street, Asokoro District, Abuja contrary to what was contained in exhibit C1 and C2.
“The DSS detailed a senior officer to invite the defendant/applicant for an audience with the DSS, which he declined. The DSS wrote a formal letter of invitation requesting the defendant/applicant for a meeting with the DSS to make some clarifications on matters under investigation by the service and the defendant/applicant did not only evade the service of the letter, but declined to honour the invitation.
“Concerned by the response of the defendant/applicant, the service (DSS) communicated same to his counsel, J. B. Daudu (SAN), wherein he requested that the said letter be forwarded to him, which the service graciously did.
“Instead of honouring the invitation, the counsel to the defendant/applicant, J. B. Daudu (SAN) forwarded a four-page letter to the service. Contrary to the speculations in exhibits C1 and C2 of affidavit in support of the application of the defendant/applicant, the DSS is merely performing its statutory functions.”
It urged the court not to grant Dasuki’s motion because it was against the interest of justice to grant such motion.
But in his motion, Dasuki claimed that a men of the DSS constituted threat to his life and prevented him from travelling abroad to attend to his ailing health pursuant to an earlier order by Justice Ademola.
He stated that the judge had, by his order made on November 3, ordered the release of his travel documents.
Dasuki sought, among others, an order compelling the government and its agents, especially operatives of the DSS to vacate his premises on 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
He equally asked the court to order the removal of “all human and non-human barricades, bulwarks and or siege laid around, about and across” his residence at No. 13 John Kadiya Street, Asokoro District, Abuja.
Both motions are scheduled for hearing today.
