CCT trial: Saraki has no case to answer, supreme court rules

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Senate President Bukola Saraki has no case to answer at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The CCT had struck out the alleged false assets declaration charges against the senate president but the federal government filed an appeal.

But in its ruling on Friday, Centus Unweze, a judge, upheld the verdict of the CCT.

Last year, Danladi Umar, chairman of the tribunal, terminated Saraki’s trial after an application by the senate president.

Umar dismissed the entire 18 counts preferred against the senate president on the grounds that the prosecution, with its four witnesses and 49 exhibits tendered, only led hearsay evidence.

But the federal government appealed the ruling and on December 12, 2017, the court of appeal asked Saraki to enter defence for three counts.

Saraki proceeded to the supreme court to challenge appeal court’s decision.

At the apex court ruling, Unweze said the appeal court was wrong to have asked the senate president to enter defence for three counts at the CCT.

He described the appeal court’s decision as “judicial equivalent of a forensic somersault”.

Asked to react to the ruling, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the federal government, said the decision of the court is binding on everyone.

“That’s the decision of the apex court, and the being a decision of the apex court, it is binding on everyone, it is binding on me, it is binding on my client,” Jacobs said.

“So the question whether I’m satisfied, it is not the question of my own satisfaction, it is a question of law.”

Kanu Agabi, counsel to Saraki, said: “I just want to say we are grateful to God, we are grateful to supreme court. This matter is over, let there be peace in our country.”