Yet again, reprieve has failed to come the way of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki in his legal attempt to stop his trial over false asset declaration at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as it ruled today that it has jurisdiction to hear the case against him.
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki raised objections about the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal in the last sitting.
Kanu Agabi, the lead counsel to the Dr. Saraki had argued that the 13-count charge was invalid procedurally because the Code of Conduct Bureau which filed the charges, failed to allow Dr. Saraki explain discrepancies in his assets declaration forms as required by law.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar, ruled that there was no breach of law as the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1989, still allows the Senate President to raise his clarifications at the level of the tribunal. The tribunal also ordered the prosecution to produce its witnesses.
Mr. Danladi Umar, said it does not matter how long a crime was committed as the federal government can initiate criminal proceeding anytime the crime is uncovered.
Mr. Rotimi Jacobs is the lawyer for the federal government while Mr Kanu Agabi is leading 80 other lawyers in Dr. Saraki’s Defence. In the charges instituted by the federal government, the Senate President is being accused of making false assets declaration in his forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a two-term governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
The trial has been adjourned till April 5, 2016.
