Saraki says Judge who asked EFCC to seize his houses was misled

Saraki says the Judge who ruled that his houses in Ikoyi Lagos be handed to the federal government because there are proceeds of corruption, erred in law.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki says the Federal High Court Judge who ruled that two of his property in upmarket Lagos be temporarily forfeited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was misled.

On Monday, October 21, 2019, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ordered the temporary forfeiture of two houses belonging to Saraki on 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti Osa local government area of Lagos.

Senator Bukola Saraki inaugurated as Senate President on June 9, 2015 (Punch) ece-auto-gen

The EFCC had filed an ex parte application on the grounds that the houses were "proceeds of unlawful activities."

However, in his reaction afterwards, Saraki said “it is my belief that the Judge was misled into granting this order and was not presented with the full position of the law or the facts.”

Saraki added that “the court was not informed of a pending order of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja restraining the EFCC from taking any steps regarding the seizure of the property in question pending the determination of a suit filed before that court.

“I also believe that the court was not made aware that the property in question formed part of the judgment of the court given on July 6, 2018 where the Supreme Court declared that the source of funds for the purchase of the property was not illicit as claimed by the prosecution.

Then Senate President, Bukola Saraki with President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting at the Presidential Villa on April 26, 2016. (Presidency) ece-auto-gen

“The Supreme Court specifically referred to No 17a McDonald Road, Ikoyi on pages 12, 13 and 26 of its judgment upholding the no-case submission made before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“I am confident that once these facts and the declaration of the Supreme Court are brought before the court, this order will be vacated. My lawyers will be approaching the court immediately to achieve this.”

Saraki has been locked in a battle with the federal government over corruption allegations since he defied the governing APC to emerge senate president in 2015.

In July of 2018, the Supreme Court cleared him of those charges.