The Code of Conduct Bureau today failed again to commence the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on charges of false assets declaration.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (Photo:File)
The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Friday failed to commence the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on charges of false assets declaration.
This was because of the new twist executed by Saraki’s new lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN). Agabi informed the Danladi Umar-led tribunal that he had filed a motion which he said must be heard before trial could commence.
Piqued by the continuous and deliberate postponement of trial, the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the motion as “a deliberate attempt to stop the trial from going on”.
“The defendant keeps saying that there is no case against him and that he is being persecuted. Why doesn’t he let the trial start so that the whole world can see the persecution?” Jacobs asked.
Agabi who apologised for the erroneous service of his motion on the Federal Ministry of Justice instead of the prosecution, said since his motion was challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal, it must be heard before going into the substantive case.
As a result of the, the CCT could not go on with the trial as the motion has to be served. The motion was served and the tribunal chairman resolved that the two parties should exchange other processes in relation to the motion before March 18.
The tribunal fixed March 18 for the hearing of the motion, adding that ruling on it would be deferred and trial would commence on the same day.
The senate president came in the company of about 40 senators including the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Stella Oduah, Danjuma Goje, Samuel Anyanwu, Tayo Alasoadura, Ben Bruce, Shehu Sani, Hope Uzodima, Dino Melaye and many others.
The trial will now commence on the 18th of March.