However, at the commencement of the trial on Wednesday, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, prosecuting counsel for the anti-graft commission, informed the court of the additional charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will re-arraign Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, and four others, on 13 additional charges bothering on breach of trust and money laundering.
Mr. Dasuki was first arraigned on an 18-count charge at an Abuja High Court, Maitama, in 2015, alongside former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of NSA, Shuaibu Salisu; former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two firms — Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital.
However, at the commencement of the trial on Wednesday, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, prosecuting counsel for the anti-graft commission, informed the court of the additional charges.
Mr. Jacobs said the amended charges did not involve Mr. Salisu, the seconded defendant. He urged the court to accept the amendments.
These new charges bring the counts against the retired colonel to 32 counts.
Mr. Jacobs proceeded to ask for closest possible date for the re-arraignment. However, Ahmed Raji (SAN), counsel to Dasuki, asked for an adjournment to allow him brief his client and prepare for the new charges.
He argued that he had only just been served, hence he needed time to thoroughly prepare and consult with his client.
“I have no privilege of discussing with the first defendant and the counts are almost doubled, consequently we will be asking for an adjournment,” he said.
Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf, the presiding judge, adjourned the case until May 16 for re-arraignment.