The Federal Government on Tuesday, filed an appeal against the June 4 judgment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) which acquitted the Senate President, Bukola Saraki of 18 count charges of false and anticipatory asset declaration.

In its notice of appeal signed by the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and an Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pius Akutah, the Federal Government stated that the CCT’s judgment effectively overruled pervious decisions of the Court of Appeal delivered with respect to Saraki’s trial and other criminal cases.

“The judgment of the lower tribunal is unwarranted, unreasonable and against the weight of evidence,” the 11 counts notice of appeal read in part.

Describing the CCT’s judgment as unconstitutional and without jurisdiction, the appellant stated that the CCT erred in law by upholding Saraki’s no-case submission when the onus of proof was on the Senate President to show that there was no infraction in the Code of Conduct Forms.

The notice of appeal further sought two prayers from the court which are “an order setting aside the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal delivered on June 4, 2017 upholding the no -case submission raised by the respondent, Saraki and an order calling upon the respondent to enter his defence.