FG to appeal Saraki’s acquittal — and ‘all nonsensical rulings in recent times’

Okoi Obono-Obla, special assistant to the president on prosecutions, says the federal government will appeal the acquittal of senate president Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

He told PUNCH on Saturday that the government would file a notice of appeal against the CCT’s ruling by Wednesday.

Prior to his acquittal, Saraki had been facing an 18-count charge bordering on false asset declaration.

But the two-man panel of the CCT led by Danladi Umar, its chairman, unanimously upheld a no-case submission against the senate president last Wednesday.

Obono-Obla argued that the panel “misapplied” the law in the ruling.

He said the government will also appeal all the “nonsensical” court rulings in various high-profile corruption cases.

“Definitely we are going to appeal against the ruling in Saraki’ s case,” he was quoted as saying.

“One of our grounds of appeal is that the tribunal misapplied the law. For instance, the standard of proof that the tribunal used is not applicable to charges of false declaration of asset.

“It (charge of false asset declaration) is a strict liability offence, so you cannot apply the standard of proof that is applied in the regular criminal proceedings.

“Surely we will file the appeal next (this) week Wednesday.”

He said the government was determined to “clean up Nigeria” and will “fight this war to the end”.

“We must otherwise the nation is doomed. We have gone back to the drawing board to change our tactics and strategies,” he added.

“Anybody who thinks he can get away with an act of corruption is dreaming. We are going to file an appeal against all the nonsensical rulings that we have got from our court in recent times.”