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How, Why Saraki Walked Out Of CCT A Free Man Against Odds

Published

8 years ago

June 14, 2017

On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, the Code of Conducts Tribunal [CCT] discharged and acquitted the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki from 18 charges of corruption levelled against him.

The presiding judge ruled that Saraki “has no case to answer”.

Saraki was being tried on various charges including false and anticipatory asset declaration in his asset declaration forms which he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau between 2003 and 2011 when he served as Governor of Kwara State.

Elombah.com had predicted that the case will suffer miscarriage ever since Hon. Justice Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja sacked the Chairman and nine other members of the Code of Conduct Bureau [CCB].

READ ALSO: Tribunal dismisses all 18 charges against Saraki

Recall that the Senate president was dragged before the tribunal on 13 charges which was later amended to 18 over false assets declaration.

However, the CCT judge discharged Saraki and dismissed all 18 charges for lack of evidence to continue with the case.

Elombah.com hereby takes a cursory look at the events that led to Saraki being left off the hook when all odds seemed to be against him.

Midway into the trial, Saraki had made many frantic efforts to wriggle away but the trial judge, Justice Danladi Umar seemed only willingly and readily tightening the noose on him.

In our reprt created on 20 April 2016, Saraki had asked the CCT chairman to disqualify himself from the case.

One can read the report, which was adjudged a frantintic effort to put a clog the wheels of justice, on Elombah.com: “Saraki asks CCT chairman to disqualify himself“.

In response, on 28 April 2016, CCT chairman, Danladi Umar dismissed in its entirety the application of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

The application sought Umar’s disqualification from further trial of the case.

Mr. Umar said since no case was found against him, his trial could not have been ordered by the Attorney General.

He therefore said it was a matter of undue intimidation on the part of the defence to have come up with its application.

READ ALSO: CCT boss dismisses Saraki’s application to disqualify him

Then bang! the next big thing happened: on April 30, Hon. Justice Murtala Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja sacked the Chairman and nine other members of the Code of Conduct Bureau [CCB].

Elombah.com assured that the embattled Senate President can now sleep with his 2 eyes closed.

The affected persons were sacked in a public interest suit filed by Kingdom Human rights Foundation International.

The Foundation had instituted a suit against the Chairman and members of the Code of Conduct Bureau on the unconstitutional stay in office contrary to section 155 (c ) of the 1999 constitution.

That was contained in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/411/2016 between Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation Int’l Vs President Federal Republic of Nigeria and two others.

In Her considered judgment, the Hon. Court held that the provisions of section 155(1) (c ) of the 1999 constitution is clear and unambiguous to the extent that the tenure of the Chairman and nine other members is five years.

The court determined all the issues set for determination in favour of the plaintiff and also granted the reliefs sought.

The Court also upheld plaintiff counsel submission that the overstay in office is against public morality , particularly of a government agency that is established to establish and maintain high standard of public morality in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the action and behavior of public officers conform to the highest standard of public morality and accountability.

READ ALSO: Why CCT Adjourned Saraki’s Case Till Further Notice

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