Saraki Relieved, Let Off The Hook Of Corruption Trial Temporarily As The CCT Adjourn Case INDEFINITELY

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki will be sighing a  temporary relief as his corruption trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal has been adjourned indefinitely.

The reason for the adjournment is due to  the absence of the star prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas.

Saraki’s trial was on May 25 adjourned till today, for the cross-examination of the witness, Michael Wetkas, to continue.

The tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, said the adjournment was to give the court time to hear other cases.

The prosecution and defence teams also said the break would allow them to prepare their cases better.

Further checks into why the star witness was absent at the trial revealed that the witness was testifying before Justice Ademola Adeniyi of an Abuja Federal High Court, in a matter brought against former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, and his two sons by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Daily Trust reports

This is contrary to reports in circulation that the witness' absence was because he needed rest or because of the Senate President's appeal at the appellate court, 

Confirming the situation through an SMS to Daily Trust, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said: "Our witness is busy before Hon. Justice Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja in respect of Sule Lamido case".

As at the time of filing this report, no new date has been announced yet.

It will be recalled that an appeal by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to try him over alleged false and anticipatory assets declaration was yesterday stalled at the Court of Appeal, Abuja as the panel could not form a quorum.

One of the three-man panel of Judges who appeared for the matter, Justice Moo Adumie, had told the court that hearing on the application could not  be held because the court cannot sit if a quorum is not formed.

While he did not give any reason why the two other judges were absent, Justice Adumie adjourned the matter to June 2, 2016 to enable the court form a quorum.

Osun Speaker Faults Senate CCB/T, ACT Acts Amendment

Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam has expressed his objection to the amendment of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) acts coupled with Administration of Criminal justice act being currently undertaken  by the Senate, saying the timing was wrong and the perception was negative.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butika, Speaker Salaam stressed that the insensitivity displayed by the sponsor of the bills has further aggravated the misconception of the people about the disposition of the National Assembly towards the anti-corruption fight of President Muhamnadu Buhari led government.

He charged the lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to as a matter of duty, address the world Press conference and disassociate themselves from the legislative rascality being championed by some Senators who enjoyed confrontation with the executive, in order to be seen and be believed to be working on the same page with the President, and to make a statement that they would support any action suggesting changing of the goal post in the middle of the game.

He said: "Our party promised to be fair and just to all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliation, and the potent way to do that is to allow the course of justice to run without fair or favour, but for some Senators to now come up with controversial bills that would be perceived to be designed for personal interest of an individual suggests that some people are enjoying the raging confrontation between the National Assembly and the Executive, and any progressive minded APC lawmaker must not be found in that mode."

Speaker Salaam then clarified that there was no crime in sponsoring bill, but the two bills slated for amendment were crucial to the trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, despite the fact that they would not have retrospective value to the case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, but the timing of the amendment would push Nigerians to hold the National Assembly in contempt, and could have a trickle-down effect on the perception of the people at the state legislature.

He asserted that there could be a genuine friction between any of the two arms of government, but the disagreement must be on principles of national interest, saying that Nigerians were suffering, and would want the legislature and the executive to operate on the same wavelength in order to deliver palliative measures and good governance that would generate life abundance for citizenry; saying that was the credible way to assert independence of institutions, not a celebrated crisis in the media.

Signed:

Goke Butika

CPS to the Speaker