The Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has said the Federal Government’s attempt to mask witnesses in the trial of ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki as undemocratic.
Fayose said this on Wednesday in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
He challenged the Federal Government to allow a live coverage of Dasuki’s trail.
He said the government would be able to tell how Dasuki stole the $2.1bn arms money and he (Dasuki) could also defend himself in the full glare of the public.
“Since the names of the would-be prosecution witnesses have already been made public, what agenda is the Federal Government pursuing by insisting that its witnesses be given protection by the court by not allowing their names and addresses to be made public in the course of the trial.
“You accused someone of corruption in the market place and the person you accused is saying he wants to defend himself in the market place too, but you, the complainant, is insisting that the accused person must be tried in your bedroom, I think someone is trying to hide something?”
He said the counsel who filed the application for witness protection should be ashamed.
“They want Nnamdi Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former Col. Dasuki (retd.) tried secretly. What are they afraid of? How is the defence counsel going to cross-examine masked witnesses when their real identities cannot be ascertained? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth?
“Obviously, this is satanic. It is against all democratic norms and Nigerians must rise against it,” the governor said.
