Senate President still trying to stop corruption trial

monjola sotubo

April 5, 2016 2:34 PM

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to stop proceedings in his ongoing corruption trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on March 24, 2016.

Saraki filed the application on Monday, April 4, 2016, along with a nine-ground notice of appeal, Punch reports.

The Senate President’s appeal is based on the CCT’s decision to dismiss a petition that it had no jurisdiction to try the case.

Saraki appeared before the tribunal today, April 5, 2016, for the continuation of the trial.

Meanwhile, fresh allegations of wrongdoing have trailed the Senate President following a leak of confidential documents which show that his wife owns four offshore assets.

In response, Saraki explained that his wife comes from a wealthy family and that he can’t be expected to declare her family assets as his.

“The property in question forms part of Dr Saraki’s wife’s family asset. It is public knowledge that Mrs. Saraki comes from a family of independent means and wealth with numerous and varied assets acquired over decades in family estates and investments,” Saraki said via a statement released on Monday, April 4, 2016, by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

“Furthermore, the law only requires a public officer to declare both his own assets and those held by his spouse and his children under 18 years of age. The law does not require a public officer to declare assets held by the spouse’s family.

“It is not expected by the law that a public officer should declare such assets held in the spouse’s family estate. Indeed, the Code of Conduct form does not make provision for declaration of spouse’s family assets,” he added.

The Senate President has also maintained that his trial is political and has nothing to do with the war against corruption.

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