'Property declared by Senate President did not exist' - Witness

dimeji akinloye

May 11, 2016 7:41 PM

Wetkas told the Tribunal on Wednesday, May 11, that the "ghost" property Saraki declared was located at 15b McDonald road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Saraki made anticipatory asset declaration, say witness

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),

According to The Cable, Wetkas told the Tribunal on Wednesday, May 11, that the "ghost" property Saraki declared was located at 15b McDonald road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Saraki's lawyer, Paul Usoro, questioned Wetkas, asked the witness and detective at the anti-graft agency, if he stood by his testimony that the property which the defendant declared did not exist, Wetkas replied: “Anything we bring before this court is derived from investigation.”

But to prove that the said property actually existed, the defence counsel extracted facts from the evidence tendered by the prosecution through the witness.

One of the proofs was a letter written in 2008 by an occupant of the building, one Egwuagu, an engineer, to a presidential implementation committee, stating that he was in possession of the property as of 1994.

In addition, the witness read out a report from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) revealing that the property was verified, though in the report the property was said to lack “character.”

This however was followed by a heated argument over ownership of the property.

READ: Senators vow to stand by Saraki, say trial is a political vendetta

Usoro contended that there were three pieces of property located at McDonald road, Ikoyi (15, block A and B, and 15b), and that the property in contention might not be that of his client.

The witness also agreed that there were three pieces of property in the same area, but no further details were given.

Saraki is facing trial for alleged false asset declaration and fraud. The trial commenced in September, 2015, a few months after the lawmaker emerged Senate President against the wish of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress.

dimeji akinloye