Friday, March 29, 2024

Again, Saraki fails to stop trial by CCT

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, again lost his bid to stop his trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over a 16-count charge bearing on breaches of his assets declaration.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, rather, affirmed that the CCT has the jurisdiction to try the Senate President over the charges.
Last year, the appellate court had delivered a judgment on the same subject matter bearing on the jurisdiction of the CCT to try Saraki. The court had then ruled that the tribunal should go ahead to try him on the 16-count charge preferred against him.
The Supreme Court also validated the judgment of the appeal court last February.
But the Justice Abdul Aboki-led panel of the Court of Appeal, while delivering judgment on Thursday in the second appeal filed by Sakari, dismissed the Senate President’s application challenging his trial by the CCT.
The appeal court panel also affirmed that the Senate President’s trial before the CCT should continue.
In a unanimous decision, all the four other members of the appeal panel agreed with the lead judgment delivered by Justice Aboki.
Aboki in his judgment, also resolved all the eight issues formulated for determination against Saraki.
While affirming the ruling of the Danladi Umar-led CCT affirming its jurisdiction to try Saraki, Justice Aboki held, among others, that the Attorney-General of the Federation had the power to institute charges against Saraki before the tribunal.
The appellate court further held that under constitution, the tribunal was not under any obligation to invite the appellant to enable him to make written admission of breaches in his asset declaration forms before filing charges against him.
The court also dismissed Saraki’s argument that the charges were filed against him before the CCT 13 years after the offences were allegedly committed.
Justice Aboki said that the court was not concerned about sentimental aspect of the matter and would, therefore, not dabble in it.

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