Conduct tribunal clears Saraki
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) yesterday discharged Senate President Bukola Saraki in the 18-count charge of false and anticipatory assets declaration, filed against him since September 2015 by the Federal Government.
The two-man panel of the tribunal led by its Chairman, Danladi Umar upheld Saraki’s no-case submission, holding that the evidence led by the prosecution was discredited under cross-examination and therefore unreliable.
The tribunal held that no reasonable tribunal would convict a defendant on the evidence led by the prosecution, through its four witnesses. It held that a prima facie case could thus not be said to have been established against the defendant to warrant calling him to enter his defence.
Umar said the report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendered as exhibit was more of intelligence gathering rather than conventional investigation. He said more troubling is the fact that the defendant was never invited or made to make statement to clarify grey areas in the allegation.
Reacting to the ruling, Saraki said the outcome of his trial at the tribunal has further renewed his faith and restored his hope in the nation’s judiciary.
“The conclusion of this trial has vindicated my position. With the outcome of this case, our faith is renewed in our courts and our hope is restored that the judiciary in our country could indeed provide sanctuary for all those who seek justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a preliminary reaction to the ruling, the executive chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran said the centre finds the ruling to be very disturbing as it smacks of compromise on the side of the Federal Government.
“We view the judgment as a political one achieved by the so-called anticorruption-focused APC-led Federal government for the purpose of settling its intra-party wrangling and discontent. The ruling is a big indictment on the government’s anticorruption drive,” it said.