You Have No Jurisdiction To Acquit Saraki, FG Slams CCT

*Appeals Senate President’s Acquittal

The Federal Government on Tuesday appealed a Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, ruling that acquitted Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of charges of corruption and false asset declaration.

The CCT in Abuja had discharged and acquitted Saraki of all the 18 charges of false asset declaration and other related offences preferred against him.

The two-man panel of the CCT, led by its Chairman, Danladi Umar, unanimously upheld the no-case submission, filed by Saraki after the prosecution closed its case with 48 exhibits tendered and after the testimonies of the fourth and the last prosecution witness on May 4, 2017.

Umar therefore upheld the no-case submission made by the defendant’s counsel, Kanu Agabi.

However, the government filed eleven grounds of appeal at the Court of Appeal Abuja challenging the judgment of the CCT.

The notice of appeal was signed by Rotimi Jacobs SAN and Pius Akutah, an assistant Chief State Counsel.

The government is seeking an order to set aside the CCT judgement of June 14, and also for an order calling upon Saraki to enter his defence.

In the notice of appeal, the government said the CCT judgment was unconstitutional, without jurisdiction, unwarranted, unreasonable and against the weight of evidence.

It argued that the Tribunal failed to analyse and evaluate the evidence of the prosecution witnesses before reaching its no case submission.

The government held that the CCT failed to point out any apparent discredited evidence on the face of the record before upholding the no case submission.

According to the government, the power of the CCT when upholding a no case submission is to discharge Saraki and not to acquit him.

It said the CCT failed to be bound by the judicial precedent of a superior court of record and has denied the government its right to fair hearing as guaranteed by the Constitution.