With N254k salary, Saraki lodged N77m in account in one day –Witness

The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki continued on Thursday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with more startling revelations being made by the prosecution.

A prosecution witness, Mr Samuel Madojemu told the tribunal that Mr Saraki made cash lodgements into his bank accounts to the tune of about N77 million, even as his monthly salary as governor was N254,412.25.

Read also: Obanikoro fights back, sues EFCC, demands N100m

Madojemu, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau, who was also Head, Intelligence Unit of the CCB as at the time, stated that the lodgement was made in August 12, 2007, while Saraki was governor of Kwara State.

Saraki is being prosecuted by the federal government on allegations that he made false declarations of his assets, as governor of Kwara State between 1999 and 2007.

Meanwhile, the federal government has again amended the charges against Saraki to 18.

According to the new charge read out on Thursday, Saraki was alleged while in office as governor of Kwara state in 2007, failed to declare his interest in No. 15 Mc Donald, Ikoyi, Lagos, a property he acquired in 2006 through a company, Tiny Tee Limited for the sum of N165 million.

It said Sarki, in September 2003, as a governor, made false declaration by claiming ownership of No 15A & 15B Mc Donald, Ikoyi, Lagos through Carlisle Properties Ltd in the year 2000, when the said properties was in actual fact sold by the Federal Government to G & C Real Estate Properties and Investment Company Limited in 1997 for the sum of N12million.

In count four and five of the fresh charge, the government alleged that Saraki, whilst being a public officer, on or about June 3 2011, falsely declared his assets at the end of his tenure as a governor and on his assumption of office as Senator in the same year, when he declared that he acquired No 17A and 17B Mc Donald, Ikoyi, Lagos on September 6, 2006, from the proceeds of sale of Rice and Sugar commodities, whereas he acquired the said properties with aggregate sum of N497.2 million, through a loan he obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.

The witness who told the Tribunal that public officers are not permitted by the law to operate private business ventures, said: “My lord, public officers are only entitled to engage in farming. Governors are not permitted to engage in sales of Rice and Sugar”.

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