Dalung queries absence of alleged terror financiers in court alongside Malami 

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has questioned the federal government over the ongoing trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, asking why individuals accused of funding terrorism are not being prosecuted alongside him.

Dalung raised the concern in an interview with Trust TV while reacting to Malami’s trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to him, the charges against Malami suggest that the former justice minister is being tried for failing to prosecute alleged terrorism financiers during his time in office.

“Listening to the charges on the arraignment of former Attorney General, I understood that he is arraigned for refusing to prosecute terrorist financiers,” Dalung said.

He argued that if Malami is facing trial for not prosecuting terror financiers, then those financiers should also be brought before the court.
“We need to have the terrorist financiers in this country arraigned and prosecuted. So, Senior Advocate Malami is arraigned for refusing to prosecute, where are the lists of financiers?” he asked.

Dalung also questioned what became of previous lists of alleged terror sponsors reportedly submitted to the Nigerian government.

“The financiers list released to President Muhammadu Buhari by the United Arab Emirate; the list released to this government by General Tchiani of Chad (sic), where are the financiers?” he queried.

He insisted that Malami should not be the only person facing trial.
“Why are we having only Malami? We should have had Malami arraigned alongside the financiers,” Dalung said.

Dalung further questioned why Malami’s son was charged alongside him.
“And I’m tempted to ask, so, his son also refused to advise his father to prosecute the financiers, that’s why he’s arraigned alongside his father?” he added.

Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, were arraigned on Tuesday by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a five-count charge related to terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.

In one of the counts, the DSS accused Malami of knowingly aiding terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute suspected financiers whose case files were submitted to his office while he was attorney-general.

Both Malami and his son pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecution asked the court to keep them in DSS custody, while the defence applied orally for bail. However, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, rejected the oral bail request, saying a formal written application must be filed.

The case was adjourned until February 20 for the bail hearing and the commencement of trial, with an order that both defendants remain in DSS custody.

Dalung queries absence of alleged terror financiers in court alongside Malami