By Editor on 06/07/2018
Views: 1,710
Saraki
The Supreme Court on Friday finally laid to rest the trial of a Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on assets declaration and sundry charges instituted against him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Dattijo Muhammad unanimously upheld Saraki’s appeal, by dismissing the remnant three counts, declaring the evidence led by the prosecution as hearsay.
The Danladi Umar-led CCT had, in June last year, terminated the trial upon an application by Saraki, by dismissing the entire 18 counts preferred against the Senate President.
The CCT’s decision was based on the grounds that the prosecution, with its four witnesses and 49 exhibits tendered, only led hearsay evidence which could not be the basis to link Saraki to the 18 counts preferred against him.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruling on December 12, 2017, in an appeal filed by the Federal Government against the decision of the CCT, restored three out of the dismissed 18 counts and ordered Saraki to return to the CCT to defend the three charges.
While Saraki had appealed to the Supreme Court against the part of the Court of Appeal’s decision restoring three of the 18 counts, the Federal Government had cross-appealed against the part of the decision affirming the tribunal’s dismissal of the rest of the 15 counts.
However, in its lead judgment on Friday, Justice Centus Nweze upheld Saraki’s appeal and dismissed the Federal Government’s appeal.
Justice Nweze agreed with the CCT that the evidence led by the prosecution at the tribunal was entirely hearsay.
He held that the Court of Appeal was wrong to have restored three out the 18 counts earlier dismissed by the CCT when it agreed that the evidence led by the prosecution was hearsay but went ahead to isolate three of the counts as having been proved.
Justice Nweze quoted a part of the Court of Appeal’s judgment where it held that “the prosecution failed to call those who have direct knowledge of the facts sought to be proved, to testify”.
Faulting the Court of Appeal’s turn around to restore three of the counts based on the evidence it had declared as hearsay, Justice Nweze said was “equivalent to judicial equivalent of a forensic somersault”
Posted 06/07/2018 4:43:45 PM
You may also like...

Between Restructuring and 2023 Igbo Presidency

Police nab four suspected armed robbers, recover guns...

Anambra poll: 2023, reason I led Mass Movement...

Terkula Suswam, ex-Benue Gov’s brother assassinated

Biden says immigrant surge seasonal, happens ‘every year’...
NCDC announces 587 COVID-19 cases, 469 deaths
_2_150x150.jpg)
Police officer rapes, impregnates teenage niece

National Human Rights Commission gets new office in...

PDP, Okorocha blast Uzodimma as Imo blames ex-gov...

Biden says he stands ‘squarely behind’ Afghanistan decision...
_8_150x150.jpeg)
200 inmates escape as Kogi prison wall collapses...

$4.2 trillion debt service: Economy is in real...