MINISTRY OF JUSTICE HAS PROPOSED EIGHT WITNESSES TO TESTIFY AGAINST SENATE PRESIDENT

Ministry of Justice has proposed eight witnesses to testify against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, when his trial on 13 counts of false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal resumes.

A top secret list has shown eight proposed witnesses who were said to have been involved in the investigation of the four forms in which Saraki had allegedly made false declaration of his assets between 2003 and 2011 during his two terms as governor.

The list of witnesses has now been filed along with charges instituted against Saraki.

The document bears the signature of a then-Deputy Director of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Muslim Hassan (now a judge of the Federal High Court), who had also signed the charges.

The trial of the Senate President is expected to commence any next week following Friday’s judgement of the Supreme Court affirming the validity of the charges against him and the jurisdiction of the CCT.

Following the apex court’s judgement, the Danladi Umar-led tribunal is expected to issue a hearing notice to parties to enable the prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), to open its case against Saraki.

Those listed by the prosecution to testify against him are: 

Yahaya Bello, Michael Wetkas, Mustapha Abubakar Musa, Nura Ali Bako, Adamu Garba, Samuel Madojemu, Abdulrahaman Bayo Dauda and Nwachukwu Amazu.

Some of the witnesses were said to be detectives who secretly investigated Saraki without him knowing.

Saraki, who was said to have submitted four assets declaration forms which were investigated by the CCB, was found to have “corruptly acquired many properties while in office as Governor of Kwara State but failed to declare some of them in the said forms earlier filled and submitted.”

He also allegedly made an anticipatory declaration of assets upon his assumption of office as governor, which he later acquired. Just imagine that!

He is also accused of sending money abroad for the purchase of property in streak of property in London.

Saraki initially refused to appear before the tribunal prompting it to issue a warrant for his arrest.