SARAKI TRIAL: CJ Accedes To Saraki’s Demand, Orders For Withheld Judgment

Dr. Bukola Saraki

CHIEF Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, has directed Justice Abdul Kafarati to deliver judgment in a civil suit filed by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, challenging the legality of his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) despite the bribery allegation against him by an online media. The judgment as learnt will be delivered on Friday.

Following the allegation, Justice Kafarati opted not to deliver the judgment even though it was ready stating that his position was consistent with a conventional norm all over the world where a presiding judge was alleged to have played some shabby roles in the course of a matter before a court.

Saraki, who is standing trial for an alleged false asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) had sued the Chairman of the CCT, Danladi Umar, and others involved in his trial, before the Federal High Court.

In the suit filed for him by his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, Saraki argued that his trial before the CCT, as currently constituted, was a violation of his right and averred that justice will be unrealistic under Umar, as the tribunal chairman adding that the ongoing investigations on the CCT Chairman by EFCC bothering on bribery and corruption have impliedly disqualified the Commission which he heads from exercising jurisdiction over him as bias judgment is imminent.

Oluyede had petitioned Justice Auta on March 23, demanding him to prevail on Justice Kafarati to deliver his withheld judgment.

 “It is our argument in the suit that the Code of Conduct Tribunal cannot act independently the way it is currently constituted because we believe It’s Chairman, Danladi Umar, who is currently under investigation by the EFCC, cannot be independent in deciding a case being prosecuted before him by the EFCC.

“We have also contented that the EFCC, by admitting that the investigation of the case against our client was done by a special task force, as against the requirement of the provision in Schedule 3 of the Constitution, has usurped the exclusive duties of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). It is on that basis we argued that our client cannot get justice under the current arrangement and asked the court to quash the charge,” Oluyede said.