Saraki’s fresh bid to stop CCT trial gets May 31 date

A fresh legal move by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to have his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal stopped has been slate for hearing on May 31, 2016 by the Court of Appeal.

The Appelate court fixed the date for hearing on the suit filed by Saraki challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him on charges of false asset declaration.

The five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, on Monday picked the date to accommodate a request by Saraki’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN) for a 14-day adjournment to enable him study the response filed on behalf of the respondents, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Read also: Uzor Kalu’s trial for fraud to await S’Court ruling

When the case was called Monday, Agabi told the court that he was just served with the respondents’ cross appellant’s reply brief and would require time to look at it.

The respondents’ lawyer, Henry Ejiga, who apologised for the absence of his principal, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) did not object to Agabi’s application for a 14-day adjournment, following which the court adjourned to May 31 for the hearing of both the appeal and cross-appeal.

Saraki is challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him based on a charge initiated by the office of the AGF. He is contending that it is only the CCB that is empowered to prosecute cases before the CCT.

CCB and AGF crossed appeal and argued that the motion, on which the CCT ruled, which formed the basis of the appeal by Saraki was an abuse of court process.

They contend among others, that the issue of jurisdiction, having been resolved by the Supreme Court in an earlier appeal by Saraki, ought not to be raised again.

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