Tribunal to rule on ‘status’ of Saraki’s trial

‎The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is set to deliver a ruling on whether it will continue with the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, following his appeal at the supreme court.

Mahmud Magaji, counsel to Saraki, had prayed for a stay of proceedings of the tribunal owing to an appeal at the supreme court on the matter.

He said that a motion of stay of proceedings had also been filed against the CCT at the supreme court.

Magaji stated that the appeal at the apex court followed a split judgment of the appeal court, which dismissed Saraki’s application to stop his trial at the CCT for lack of merit on October 30.

“We urge your lordship to adjourn this matter pending the hearing and determination of our case at the supreme court,‎” he said.

However, Rotimi Jacobs, the prosecuting counsel, argued that the appeal court judgment upholding the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try Saraki was subsisting and binding‎ on all parties in the case.

He urged the tribunal to go on with the trial of Saraki, stating that the prayer of Magaji for an adjournment of the case was unconstitutional.

Jacobs said that the call for an adjournment of the trial was tantamount to a “stay of the trial.”

‎He therefore argued that Saraki was bent on frustrating his trial with a series of adjournment, and urged the court to reject the defendant’s application.

“I urge the lordship to continue this matter because they want to deny us the fruit of our labour‎,” he said.