Forgery: FG to arraign Saraki, Ekweremadu Tuesday

Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki during his ongoing false asset declaration trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja...on Monday.

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is scheduled to appear on Tuesday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, Abuja for arraignment on charges of forgery.

Saraki will also appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for his ongoing trial for alleged false and anticipatory asset declaration.

Both the FCT High Court and the CCT share a boundary in Jabi area of Abuja.

Sources from the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that Saraki alongside the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and their co-accused will appear before Justice Yusuf Halilu, for arraignment on two counts of forgery and criminal conspiracy tomorrow.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, were on June 10, charged with criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Standing Rules used for the leadership election of the presiding officers of the Senate in J‎une last year.

The Federal Government  stated that the offence of conspiracy is punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act; and offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

Meanwhile, the  Code of Conduct Tribunal had on June 15 adjourned the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, till June 21.

The tribunal adjourned for the hearing of a fresh motion filed by Saraki seeking an order of the CCT disqualifying its Chairman, Danladi Umar, from further presiding over the case.

Saraki filed his fresh application accusing Umar of bias based on the remark made by the tribunal chairman at the last proceedings on June 7, 2016, while warning the defence against delay tactics.

Umar made the statement that was picked up while warning the defence that their delay tactics would not “reduce the consequences the defendant will meet in this tribunal at the end of the trial”.

Saraki, in his fresh application filed by his lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), alleged that Umar’s statement would prejudice the outcome of the trial.

Saraki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government before the CCT on 16 counts, including false and anticipatory asset declaration, which he allegedly made between 2003 and 2011 when he served as the Governor of Kwara State.

He is ‎also accused  of operating foreign accounts as a public officer and of receiving governor’s salary or emoluments  in addition to his salary as a senator for some periods after completing his two terms as governor and got elected as a senator.