The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday adjourned the trial of Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki indefinitely. The adjournment is to allow the Supreme Court determine salient aspects of the trial over which appeals have been filled before it.

Dr Saraki is being  tried on three of the 18 counts charges of false assets declaration filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The three-count charges border on alleged false declaration of his assets at the expiration of his tenure as the Executive Governor of Kwara State and his failure to declare his outstanding loan liabilities of N315,054,355.92 out of the loan of N380,000,000.00 which he obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

At the resumed trial, the Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar called the attention of the parties involved in the case to a letter from the defendant dated January 19, 2018, seeking a stay in the criminal proceedings as a result of two appeals pending before the Supreme Court.

Umar said going by sections 305 and 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, an appeal does not mean a stay in proceedings, adding: “In view of the fact that there are some issues in the appeal before the Supreme Court which are involved in the case, we think it is germane to consider the integrity of the apex court.”

After listening to the arguments and counter arguments from both parties, the CCT Chairman in his ruling said the tribunal will be guided by the constitutional right to fair hearing and the right to appeal.

“Since the Supreme Court is giving an accelerated hearing of the appeals, we will be hesitant to proceed pending when the appeals are determined. To be on the safer side, the tribunal has decided to tarry for a while so that the integrity of that Court will not be tampered with.”

He therefore, adjourned the trial indefinitely pending the Supreme Court’s decision.