Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has questioned the Federal Government over the trial of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, asking why alleged terrorism financiers have not been prosecuted alongside the former minister.

Dalung raised the concern during an interview with Trust TV published on Wednesday while reacting to Malami’s ongoing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“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 the federal government should be prosecuting those who allegedly funded terrorism alongside Malami.

“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 raised questions on the previous list of terror financiers submitted to successive administrations.

“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 said.

He insisted that Malami should not be standing alone before the court.

“Why are we having only Malami? We should have had Malami arraigned alongside the financiers,” Dalung stated.

He also queried the decision to arraign Malami’s son with 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 was on Tuesday arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.

The former Attorney-General was docked alongside his son, Abdulaziz.

In count one of the charge, the DSS accused Malami of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers whose case files were submitted to his office while he was Attorney-General of the Federation.

The charge read in part: “That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adult, male, sometime in November 2022 at Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did knowingly abet terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were brought to your office as the Attorney-General of the Federation, for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

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

While the prosecution counsel, Dr C. Eze, asked the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the DSS pending the commencement of trial, the defence counsel, Mr S. Alua, SAN, made an oral application for bail.

However, the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, refused the oral request, noting that the court operates on records and that a formal written application must be filed.

She subsequently adjourned the case until February 20 for the hearing of the bail application and the commencement of trial, and ordered that the defendants remain in the custody of the DSS. (Vanguard)

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