An Abuja Federal High Court has dismissed key pieces of evidence presented by the Federal Government in the ongoing money laundering trial of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), dealing a major blow to the prosecution’s case.
Justice Peter Lifu, who presided over the matter, ruled that several documents tendered by the prosecution were inadmissible, citing procedural violations and failure to comply with the Evidence Act.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting on behalf of the Federal Government, had accused the former NSA of laundering several billions of naira allegedly diverted from funds meant for national security operations during his tenure.
At Tuesday’s sitting, the prosecution sought to tender multiple financial records, bank statements, and transaction summaries purportedly linking the defendant to suspicious transfers. However, defence counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the documents, arguing that they were not properly certified and were obtained without following due process.
After considering the arguments, Justice Lifu upheld the defence’s objection, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the documents’ authenticity and relevance in accordance with legal standards.
“The documents do not meet the evidential requirements stipulated under Section 84 of the Evidence Act,” the judge ruled. “Accordingly, they are hereby rejected and marked as inadmissible.”
The decision sparked visible frustration among members of the prosecution team, who had relied heavily on the contested documents to prove their case.
Reacting to the development, Ozekhome described the ruling as “a triumph of the rule of law,” noting that the court had “once again demonstrated that justice is not about securing convictions at all costs, but about upholding legal principles.”
Prosecution counsel, however, maintained that the ruling was only a “temporary setback,” vowing to appeal the decision and continue with other aspects of the case.
The trial, which has dragged on for several years, is one of the most high-profile corruption cases from the previous administration, with the former NSA accused of misappropriating public funds under the guise of national security expenditures.
