Saraki gets March 11 date for CCT trial
The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on 13 counts of false assets declaration has been shifted from March 10 to March 11.
The Danladi Umar-led CCT had after the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on February 5, validating the trial of the Senate President and the charges preferred against him, fixed March 10 for the prosecution to open its case.
Head, Press and Public Relations of the CCT, Mr. Ibraheem Al-hassan, said in a
statement today that the date of the trial had been re-scheduled to March 11 following a request by Saraki’s new lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
Agabi pleaded with the CCT to shift the trial date by one day on the grounds that he had other urgent matters slated for March 10.
A seven-man panel of the apex court presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, unanimously ruled in its judgment on February 5 that Saraki’s appeal against the jurisdiction of the CCT and the competence of the charges, lacked merit.
Justice Walter Onnoghen, who delivered the lead judgment, dismissed Saraki’s seven grounds of appeal, affirming that the charges instituted against him were valid and that the tribunal was validly constituted with requisite jurisdiction to try him.
The CJN and other members of the full panel of the apex court, comprising Justices Tanko Muhammad, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chima Nweze and Amiru Sanusi, also consented to the judgment.
The judgment of the Supreme Court terminated an earlier order of the a panel of apex court presided over by now retired Justice John Fabiyi, which had on November 12, 2015, stayed proceedings in the trial of the Senate President.
In the 13 counts initiated by the Federal Government, Saraki was said to have made false assets declaration in his forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a two-term Covernor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
The Danladi Umar-led CCT had after the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on February 5, validating the trial of the Senate President and the charges preferred against him, fixed March 10 for the prosecution to open its case.
Head, Press and Public Relations of the CCT, Mr. Ibraheem Al-hassan, said in a
statement today that the date of the trial had been re-scheduled to March 11 following a request by Saraki’s new lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
Agabi pleaded with the CCT to shift the trial date by one day on the grounds that he had other urgent matters slated for March 10.
A seven-man panel of the apex court presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, unanimously ruled in its judgment on February 5 that Saraki’s appeal against the jurisdiction of the CCT and the competence of the charges, lacked merit.
Justice Walter Onnoghen, who delivered the lead judgment, dismissed Saraki’s seven grounds of appeal, affirming that the charges instituted against him were valid and that the tribunal was validly constituted with requisite jurisdiction to try him.
The CJN and other members of the full panel of the apex court, comprising Justices Tanko Muhammad, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chima Nweze and Amiru Sanusi, also consented to the judgment.
The judgment of the Supreme Court terminated an earlier order of the a panel of apex court presided over by now retired Justice John Fabiyi, which had on November 12, 2015, stayed proceedings in the trial of the Senate President.
In the 13 counts initiated by the Federal Government, Saraki was said to have made false assets declaration in his forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a two-term Covernor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
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