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Saraki declared assets, CCB affirms

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja
23 March 2017   |   4:58 am
The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki continued yesterday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) admitting that Saraki did declare his assets and those of his family members.

Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO

The trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki continued yesterday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) admitting that Saraki did declare his assets and those of his family members.

The third prosecution witness and a staff of CCB, Mr. Samuel Madojemu, also admitted before the tribunal during cross-examination that Saraki equally declared the assets of his wife, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, both in Nigeria and abroad, as well as those of his children whose names were not read out.

At the resumed trial of the defendant on alleged false declaration of assets, the witness admitted that Saraki’s assets were recorded in the Assets Forms he submitted to CCB at various times.

Led in the cross-examination by Saraki’s counsel, Paul Erekoro (SAN), Madojemu was meant to read out the list of assets declared by Saraki in his name, those of his wife and his children, when he held office as Kwara State governor and upon his assumption of office as a senator.

The witness told the tribunal that the investigation, which led to the arraignment of Saraki in 2015, was actually carried out by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He noted that his role and those of CCB were limited to the review of EFCC report and compared same with the defendant’s Assets Declaration Form.

He added that he was invited orally into a team that reviewed the EFCC report and compared the asset form of Saraki, and that CCB has no written report on the outcome of the revision of the EFCC report.

Answering further questions, he maintained that former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu who was equally investigated on assets declaration enjoyed the privileged of being invited by CCB to clarify l discrepancies in his asset forms submitted to the Bureau.

When asked why same gesture was not extended to Saraki when his asset forms were been investigated, he stated that CCB cannot be blamed for not inviting Saraki because it saw the need to limit its investigation to the asset forms endorsed by Saraki on oath.

On the alleged double salary received by Saraki after he had left office as Kwara State governor and when he was in the Senate, the witness pointed out that CCB did not consult with the Kwara State government to confirm the claim but only based its acceptance of the claim on the report of the EFCC and a bank account of Saraki with the Access Bank.

He said that he would not know whether it was pension that was being paid to Saraki by Kwara State government, as he had no access to the Kwara State law on pension scheme for ex-political office holders.

But when asked to point out in the Access Bank statement of account where double salaries were allegedly paid to Saraki, the witness replied: “I just cited a statement of account of the defendant. I did not study it. So, I will not be in position so say more on the salary issue.”

Madojemu also told the tribunal that there was no provision in the CCB Asset Declaration Form for any declarant to declare properties owned by the declarant’s companies and that there was no provision for cash lodgment in the asset forms.

On his earlier evidence that Saraki did not declare his property in London in respect of any mortgage, the witness said: “I did not consult with Fortis Bank of London to know whether the six-bedroom bungalow at South West London was redeemed with the bank loan.

He however admitted that the six-bedroom bungalow was declared by the defendant in 2011 and that Saraki also claimed in his asset form that he acquired a property from proceeds from sales of rice, sugar commodities and bank loan.

At the end of the cross- examination, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs applied for an adjournment to enable him re-examine the witness.

The counsel told the tribunal that he needed the adjournment because the witness was cross-examined for four days by the defence.
The tribunal has however adjourned trial till April 5 for re-examination of the witness by the prosecution.

16 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

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  • Author’s gravatar

    I wondered why Dr Bukola Saraki is still sitting at the helm of affairs at NASS considering the enormous gravity of his corrupt practices.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Wasn’t it obvious from the very start???!!! Saraki is not a thief or money launderer, as James Ibori was as clean as a whistle, until the British managed to get him onboard a Dubai – London Direct flight to face and fight his demons. Just as in Ibori’s case (during his trials in Nigerian courts), the prosecution team in Saraki’s case has suddenly resorted to speaking in tongues, no thanks to opportunists who had cashed in on those many long “adjournments”. Why continue with such a high profile case that has guzzled millions on both sides, when the verdict of “no case” has become foreknown? His clearance by the courts is just a matter of time. I sorry well well for Nigeria.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The prosecution lawyer Rotimi Jacobs SAN requested an adjournment to cross examine his own prosecution witness? And asked for that adjournment till April 5? Jacobs wants to teach his own witness how to tell lies! Is this not the same prosecution lawyer that claimed Kaduna Governor Nasir El Rufai prepared all the evidence he needed to convict Saraki? And that Nasir El Rufai would be called as prosecution witness? Then Nasir El Rufai ran away from his own evidence when Fake Pastor VP Yemi Osinbajo took over with lies concoction. The Federal Government is disgracing themselves in this witch hunt, it’s just a pity that they co-opted the EFCC into making fools of themselves. Nasir El Rufai, Jagaban Bola Tinubu and Yemi Osinbajo led Buhari astray on this foolish political prosecution, and they will leave Buhari high and dry. El Rufai is already begging and bribing to be Osinbajo’s VP. Shame on Change.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This revelation has shown and confirmed that the trial of Saraki with all its hues and cries was politically motivated rather than a genuine anti-corruption drive. If he had not contested for the senate presidency against the wish of a section of the leadership of the ruling APC, there would not have been anything like his trial. And this tells us something straight: anti corruption stance is to whip political opponent to line. There are several corrupt politicians in government, enjoying the immunity of being part of the ruling class. This is not the right way to fight for the nation.

  • Author’s gravatar

    I am not surprised with the current situation with respect to Olubukola Saraki’s case. I know he would be freed. They cannot stop him, The beautiful ones are not yet born. Who is clean among them? He who demand equity must come with clean hands. The whole exercise is mere intellectual exercise among lawyers. Nigeria is a unique country where nothing works except corruption and double standard. this is a country where somebody that stole Billions of Naira will be working freely with no resistance, and the other man that stole a cup of gari will spend years in Nigerian prison. It is unfortunate the kind of immunity we have against change. they go outside the country, but nothing exemplary had ever been copied. You see them in Babariga, Agbada, and other expensive attires here to oppress the needy, they go in convoys disrupting the piece of the community. If you had ruled well and popular among your people you should be able to walk freely among them like Adegoke Adelabu ( Peculiarmess). Let Saraki be and let there be total overhauling of our democratic practice

  • Author’s gravatar

    MAJOR NANS MEMBERS ARE THIEVES, LOOTERS, DRUG-PUSHERS. HENCE, OUR PRESENT SENATORS LACK MORAL OBLIGATION TO INVITE EXECUTIVE. BUHARI HAS FAILED TO DEALT WITH BUKOLA SARAKI. NOW CORRUPTED PEOPLE LIKE SARAKI, AKPABIO, DAVID MARK ETC ARE FIGHTING BACK THE GOVERNMENT. 96% OF OUR PRESENT GOVERNORS ARE NOT IN SUPPORT OF WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION.