The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, dismissed the 18 charges of false asset declaration filed against Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
The CCT panel led by Justice Danladi Umar, unanimously upheld the no-case submission by Saraki, holding that the evidence led by the prosecution was discredited under cross-examination and therefore unreliable.
The panel further held that no reasonable and competent tribunal would convict a defendant on the evidence led by the prosecution through the testimonies from its four witnesses.
The panel therefore dismissed the case and discharged the Senate President of the multiple charges brought against him by the CCB on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Senate President had on May 4, told the tribunal that he would file a no-case submission implying that he would not be opening a defense but would ask the tribunal to discharge him of the charges brought against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Before Wednesday’s discharge, the CCT had dismissed previous discharge applications filed by the Senate President.
The CCB had on September 16, 2015 filed a 13-count charge against Saraki for alleged false and anticipatory declaration of assets. The charges were increased to 15 on April 18, 2016 and another added to it on April 27 of the same year.
The Federal Government increased the charges to 17 on January 11 this year and finally to 18 on February 23.
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