Some of the suspects facing trial in the staggering $2billion arms deal involving former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, may opt to return looted funds and forfeit some assets in exchange for freedom or light sentences.
This much was revealed by sources close to the investigation, who also informed that some leaders in northern Nigerian may prevail on President Buhari to give soft-landing to some of the suspects.
The reason some of these suspects are willing to return the loots, The Nation reports, is because the evidences against them have been overwhelming and are also thought to be considering the plea bargain option to save time and get lighter jail terms where conviction becomes necessary.
Although the EFCC has refused to name some of the suspects seeking plea bargain, there were indications that only Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, a former minister of state for finance, expressed willingness to recover N600million out of the over N1billion traced to him.
“Despite the fact that most of the suspects pleaded not guilty, some of them have been considering plea bargain to get off the hook. “Those affected have told the EFCC in confidence that they want to return looted funds and assets for outright state pardon or lighter jail terms. “These few ones seeking plea bargain said they ought to regain freedom to retrieve funds where they are stashed.
“In fact, one of the suspects said having admitted that he had slush funds, there was nothing to prove in court again,” an EFCC source stated, while pleading anonymity. Counsel to one of the key suspects, on Tuesday night, said: “I think there is a plea bargain offer by some suspects. Some lawyers appearing in the cases have been meeting to enable the nation to get some of these funds back. “These suspects would, however, prefer to return funds and assets to the EFCC for outright pardon.
“As I am talking to you, we have not reached any conclusion on the terms of plea bargain to be presented to the EFCC, which is prosecuting all the suspects.” In a related development, former president Goodluck Jonathan may have also concluded plans to meet President Muhammadu Buhari over confessions made by Dasuki that he (Jonathan) approved all payments made during the period under review.