Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, leading two other Appeal Court justices, has said a ruling will be given on the acquittal of Senator Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct of Tribunal at a later day. The reserved judgement followed the adoption of briefs by the appellants and respondents on Tuesday.
The Federal Government appealed the shock acquittal of Senator Saraki, the president of the Nigerian Senate. He had been acquitted by a Code of Conduct Tribunal in a false assets declaration suit initiated by the government against him. Saraki was accused of making anticipatory declaration in his assets declaration form, a mandatory process for appointive and elected public officers in Nigeria.
Danladi Umar, then chairman of the CCT, upheld a no-case submission made by Saraki through his counsel Akin Olujimi, a senior advocate and the country’s former attorney-general. He also cited lack of diligent prosecution as a basis for his ruling.
However, Saraki maintained his innocence during and after his trial, which he said was a political witch-hunt.
More details later…
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