The Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja begins its hearing over Senate President Bukola Saraki for supposed “false declaration of assets.’’
However, Senate president missed at the trial and is represented by his legal counsel, Mahmud Magaji.
M.S. Hassan, the prosecuting counsel, asked the court to issue a bench warrant against Saraki for failing to appear before the court after being summoned.
He particularly demanded that Saraki should be detained within two hours and brought to court.
In defence of Senate president, Magaji reasoned that the prosecuting counsel, who is a deputy director at the ministry of justice and who signed the accusations against Saraki, has no locus standi on the development.
He argued that charges could only be brought against Saraki by the attorney-general of federation, who is yet to be nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Consequently, Magaji, asked the court to strike out the case.
Saraki however rejected the accusations and defined the 13 count corruption charge by CCB as frivolous.
He went ahead to say that he declared his assets in 2007, 2011, and recently in 2015, and the CCB never complained of any contradictions.