The Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned
the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to March I8.
The tribunal, Friday, took the decision
after Saraki’s new lawyer, Kanu Agabi, asked the tribunal to rule first on the
senate president’s objection to the powers of the tribunal to try him.
Saraki is facing charges of alleged false
asset declaration and corruption.
The senate president’s bid to thwart the trial
failed after the Supreme Court said the tribunal has powers and was constituted
to hear the case against Saraki.
On resumption of the case at the tribunal,
Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation, who led 64 other lawyers to
represent Saraki, presented a fresh motion, seeking a ruling from the chairman
of the tribunal, Umar Danladi, on the initial application that the tribunal
lacked the jurisdiction to try Saraki.
Agabi
said a copy of the application had been presented before the Ministry of
Justice and was also addressed to the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs.
He argued that the tribunal chair had an
obligation to rule on the new application.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned
the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to March I8.
The tribunal, Friday, took the decision
after Mr. Saraki’s new lawyer, Kanu Agabi, asked the tribunal to rule first on
the senate president’s objection to the powers of the tribunal to try him.
Saraki is facing charges of alleged false
asset declaration and corruption.
The senate president’s bid to thwart the
trial failed after the Supreme Court said the tribunal has powers and was
constituted to hear the case against
Saraki.
On resumption of the case at the tribunal,
Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation, who led 64 other lawyers to
represent Saraki, presented a fresh motion, seeking a ruling from the chairman
of the tribunal, Umar Danladi, on the initial application that the tribunal
lacked the jurisdiction to try Saraki.
Agabi said a copy of the application had
been presented before the Ministry of Justice and was also addressed to the
prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs.
He argued that the tribunal chair had an an
obligation to rule on the new application.
