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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Senate President, Bukola Saraki has told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) he has no case to answer in the charges of false declaration of assets brought against him by the Federal Government since 2015, shortly after he emerged as Chairman of the National Assembly.
This was after the federal government closed its case against him after calling four witnesses.
Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro announced the readiness of his client to file a no-case submission on the grounds that the prosecution did not establish any crime or prima facie case against him.
The 18-count charges were filed against Saraki in September 2015, and has traversed the hierarchy of courts up to the Supreme Court in efforts of the Senate President to terminate the trial.
In all of these, he lost as he was told to go and stand his trial at the tribunal.
Government announced the closure of its case through the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), after an official of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Ilorin branch, Mr. Bayo Dauda, testified as the fourth and last prosecution witness
Erokoro (SAN) informed the tribunal headed by Hon. Dandali Yakubu Umar, that he would need the complete record of proceedings since 2015, when the trial started, to enable him review the evidence so far adduced by government, and to make his no case submission in line with the provisions of the law.
At the resumed trial yesterday, a prosecution witness, Mr. Bayo Dauda had informed the tribunal that the documents allegedly used for foreign transactions by Saraki were not in possession of the Guaranty Trust Bank.
The witness, who came from the bank to tender some documents and give evidence, informed the tribunal that all efforts to locate the documents were unsuccessful because the transactions had taken place long time ago.
Besides, the witness further said he had no address of any property bought in London by Saraki with the alleged foreign remittances.
He, however, admitted that Saraki, like any other customer, took loans three times from the bank to purchase properties, and that the loans had been repaid in line with terms of agreement guiding the loan.
The witness informed the tribunal that the defendant, apart from not defaulting in the payment for the three loans, also complied with other terms which included the submissions of the title documents of the properties purchased with the loans to bank.
Dauda further said Saraki had a comprehensive insurance on the properties acquired with the loans.
The tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, told the registry to put the records of proceedings from inception together.
The defence will, thereafter, within one week, file its written address on no-case submission. The prosecution will also respond within one week.
The tribunal fixed June 8 for the adoption for the addresses.
