Bukola Saraki Innocent of False Asset Declaration Charges

The Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja has dismissed the 18 charges of false asset declaration filed against the Senate President, Dr. Bulola Saraki.

Danladi Umar, the tribunal chairman, in his ruling said the prosecution had failed to successfully prove its allegations.

The tribunal stated that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses were manifestly unreliable, adding that no court could attach value to it not to talk of convicting on it.

The President of the Senate Dr. Bukola Saraki has described his nearly two years long trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) as a torturous one. Rather the government had presented as its witness an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau and a detective with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

Saraki's 2 year battle with the CCT came to an end today after the panel passed a judgement today on Saraki's no case submission. All charges against Saraki have been dismissed.

In adopting the defendant's written addresses on the final address before the CCT, the lead defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), had said the petition which precipitated the charges had nothing to do with his client.

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He said a careful perusal of the four witnesses and 48 exhibits tendered by the prosecution showed grave defectiveness as no Prima facie case was established to sustain the charge.

Another member of the tribunal's bench, William Atedze, said it was unlawful to depend on the word "team", for the presentation of an evidence, since the law does not recognize "team" as a source of evidence.

But CACOL in a statement by its Convener, Debo Adeniran, said the acquittal of Saraki was an affirmation of the existence of corruption in the judiciary.

"My humble conclusion is that the defendant in this case has no case to answer and is accordingly discharged and acquitted".

It will be recalled that the CCT today upheld the no-case submission made by Saraki thereby discharging him of the false and anticipatory asset declaration charge levelled against him since September 2015 by the Federal Government.