Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President disclosed that he has lost count of the data of charges of false asset declaration instituted towards him earlier than the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He additionally stated details in regards to the fees had been not recent in his reminiscence as a result of they bordered on offences which he was accused of committing between 5 to 14 years in the past.
Saraki acknowledged this in an affidavit, which he personally deposed to in help of his recent utility looking for the quashing of the fees towards him on the CCT and discharging him of the alleged offences.
“The facts relating to these matters are no longer fresh in my memory quite apart from the fact that I have lost many of my records pertaining to them,” he acknowledged within the affidavit.
Saraki’s recent utility, which was dated and filed on March 4, 2016, seeks to halt his trial that had been validated by the Supreme Court by its judgement delivered on February 5, 2016.
He was arraigned on 13 counts of false asset declaration earlier than the CCT on September 22, 2015.
A seven-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, had in its judgement, dismissed Saraki’s objection to his trial.
The apex courtroom, within the stated judgement, affirmed the competence of the 13 counts filed towards him and the jurisdiction of the tribunal to listen to the case.
In the fees instituted by the Federal Government, Saraki was accused of creating false asset declaration in his varieties submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on assuming workplace and leaving throughout his two phrases as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
The Senate President, who was stated to have submitted 4 asset declaration varieties, allegedly “corruptly acquired many properties while in office as Governor of Kwara State, but failed to declare some of them in the said forms earlier filled and submitted.”
He additionally allegedly made an anticipatory declaration of property upon his assumption of workplace as governor, which he later acquired.
Saraki was additionally accused of sending cash overseas for the acquisition of property in London and sustaining an account exterior Nigeria whereas serving as governor.
But in his recent utility, Saraki stated the fees weren’t within the curiosity of justice, however politically motivated and filed in violation of due course of in addition to his proper to honest listening to.
He additionally acknowledged that the fees couldn’t be legitimate since they had been filed within the identify of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
He stated he was denied honest listening to as neither the CCB nor the Attorney-General of the Federation confronted him with any infraction within the 4 property declaration varieties.
He stated he declared his property first on assuming workplace as Governor of Kwara State in 2003 and on finishing his time period in 2011.
He stated he subsequently made one other asset declaration and submitted the shape to the CCB upon his reelection in 2007 and on ending his second time period in 2011.
He stated had he been knowledgeable of any inconsistencies in his asset declaration varieties, he would have corrected them.
He stated, “I am not aware of any petitions challenging my declarations, and the bureau (CCB) has never drawn my attention to any. I would promptly have corrected or explained (the reason for) any alleged discrepancies or inconsistencies in my asset declaration had my attention been drawn to them.”
His prayers within the utility embody, “An order quashing and/or striking out the charges contained in Charge No: CCT/ABJ/01/2015 by the complainant/respondent against the applicant.
“An order pursuant to Paragraph 1 above, discharging the defendant/applicant herein.”
Saraki’s new lead counsel, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN), who led 5 different Senior Advocates of Nigeria and about 60 different attorneys within the Senate President’s authorized workforce on Friday, can also be difficult the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the case towards his shopper.
Saraki’s trial, scheduled to begin on Thursday, following the judgement of the Supreme Court validating it, was stalled on Friday.
The trial was stalled after Agabi launched his shopper’s recent utility and insisted that it should be heard earlier than the matter might proceed.
But the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the movement 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 requested.
The prosecutor, who stated he had not been served with the movement, insisted that by advantage of the judgement of the Supreme Court delivered on February 5, which validated the trial, the day’s enterprise was for the prosecution to open its case.
