Despite court acquittal, Saraki still in troubled waters, as AGF’s office says he will still face trial

It seems the federal government is not ready yet to let be the legal battle against outgoing Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Saraki’s argument that the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) is violating his rights by investigating him on the same subject he had previously been tried and acquitted of, has been punctured by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

According to the AGF’s Office, EFCC’s current investigation of the Senate President on issues bothering on corrupt activities is in order, because previous acquittal of Saraki in criminal cases, including the one leveled against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) does not mean he could not be charged in another competent court of law.

Saraki had filed a fundamental right suit before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, contending that the interim seizure of his houses by the EFCC, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, was a violation of his rights.

According to Saraki, the investigation was on the same subject for which he had been previously tried, discharged and acquitted.

But the AGF’s Office in a counter-affidavit to Saraki’s suit said, “That the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/152/2014 referred to by the applicant is premised on non-declaration of assets and the trial was conducted in the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“That he knows as a fact by virtue of his training as a legal practitioner that a previous trial in the Code of Conduct Tribunal does not preclude further criminal trial in a competent court of law.”

The AGF, the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Service (DSS), the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) are the respondents to the suit.

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The AGF’s response to Saraki’s suit was filed on May 23, 2019, through the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata, on behalf of the AGF, the IGP and the DSS.

Abubakar Malami (SAN), was still in office as the AGF when the response was filed.

Meanwhile, Justice Taiwo has fixed June 24 for hearing on the matter.

The EFCC is investigating Saraki for alleged corrupt activities when he was the governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.

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