Assets Falsification Charge: CCT Frees Saraki, Says FG Failed To Prove Case
The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja has quashed the 16-count charge the Federal Government brought against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
The two-panel panel tribunal headed by Justice Danladi Umar, held that FG failed to prove essential elements of all the allegations it levelled against Saraki.
The tribunal held that both oral and documentary evidence given by four witnesses FG brought before it were “so discredited during cross-examination”, saying it was so”manifestly unreliable that no court or tribunal can rely on it to make a conviction”.
“In the light of the foregoing, the tribunal has no other option that to discharge the defendant. “The Honourable tribunal upholds the no-case submission and the defendant is accordingly discharged and acquitted”, Justice Umar held.
FG had in the charge with suit No. CCT/ABJ/01/15 alleged that Saraki made false/anticipatory declaration of assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau operated foreign accounts while in office as Kwara State governor between 2003 and 2011, as well as collected governorship salary four years after his tenure had elapsed.