Saraki, Ekweremadu in court for ‘forgery’ trial — with 30 senators

‎Senate President Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, were at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court, Abuja, on Monday for the commencement of their trial for alleged forgery.

They arrived at 8:48am in company of at least 30 senators.

They came in two Coaster buses and a string‎ of cars.

The accused entered the “accused box”, where they pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal conspiracy and forgery.

As the case was called, Muhammadu Diri, counsel to the federal government; the prosecution, told the court that the business of the day was “arraignment.”

“This case today is for arraignment. I urge this court to direct that the two-count charge be read to the defendants for the purpose of taking their plea,” he said.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, and two others — Salisu Maikasuwa, former clerk of the national assembly; and Benedict Efeturi, deputy clerk of the national assembly — all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, the case was stood down for an hour at the instance of the prosecution who said that he needed time to file a response to applications for bail by the defendants.

Paul Erokoro (SAN) Saraki‎’s lawyer did not object to the request of the prosecution just as Joseph Daodu Ekweremadu’s lawyer did not.

‎Saraki, Ekweremadu, Maikasuwa, Efeturi, are facing charges of alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery of the senate standing rule‎s, 2015, brought against them by the federal government.

‎Saraki, Ekweremadu, Maikasuwa, Efeturi, are facing charges of alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery of the senate standing rule‎s, 2015, brought against them by the federal government.

After a series of failed attempts to get them to court, Yusuf Haliru, the judge, had ordered on June 21 that they be served the court summons through substituted means.

The summons was then pasted on the notice board of the national assembly, ordering them to come before the court on Monday.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, Salisu Maikasuwa, former clerk of the national assembly, and Benedict Efeturi, his deputy, are facing charges of alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery of the senate standing rule‎s, 2015, brought against them by the federal government.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves, to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of Conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”

Count two reads: “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with fraudulent intent forged the Senate Standing Order 2011 (as amended) causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when you knew that the said Order was not made in compliance the procedure for amendment of the Senate Order, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”‎‎