FG Ask Supreme Court To Restore All 18 False Asset Charges Against Saraki In Fresh Corruption Trial
The government has appealed to the Supreme Court to restore all the 18 false assets declaration and other related charges instituted against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, but which were dismissed by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in June 2017.
In its December 12, 2017 judgment, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had restored three out of the 18 counts but affirmed the decision of the CCT with respect to the rest of the 15 counts on the grounds of lack of evidence.
Saraki had since filed a seven-ground notice of appeal against the part of the Court of Appeal’s judgment restoring the three counts.
But the Federal Government on Tuesday filed a counter-appeal of 15 grounds against the part of the judgment which affirmed the dismissal of the 15 counts.
The CCT had in its June 14, 2017 ruling on the no-case submission which Saraki filed after the prosecution concluded its case, dismissed the entire 18 counts on the grounds of lack of credible evidence.
The Federal Government had, through its prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), appealed against the CCT ruling.
Delivering a unanimous judgment on December 12, 2017, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson restored three out of the 18 dismissed charges and ordered Saraki to enter his defence before the CCT in respect of the three counts.
But the Court of Appeal affirmed the CCT’s ruling affirmed the dismissal of the rest of the 15 counts as ordered by the CCT.
The Federal Government’s appeal has filed a cross-appeal complaining against part of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in respect of counts 1, 2, 3, 7 to 18.
In its appeal, the prosecution led by Jacobs urged the Supreme Court to order Saraki to enter his defence in respect of all the 18 counts.
The government asked the Supreme Court to set aside the part order of the Court of Appeal, upholding the ruling of the CCT in respect of the 15 voided counts.
It also sought the Supreme Court’s order remitting the entire case back to the CCT for Saraki to enter his defence in respect of the entire 18 counts.
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