From GODWIN TSA, Abuja
The trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki resumed Thursday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal [CCT] where the federal government tendered a statement made by the Senate President to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] in 2013.
Saraki is standing trial at the CCT on 16 charges of false asset declaration and breach of Code of of Conduct for Public Officers.
During the proccedings, the prosecution, led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), tendered Saraki’s statement to the EFCC dated August 12, 2013, through a detective of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Alvan Gurummaal, subpoenaed by the Tribunal to tender the statement.
The tribunal had earlier admitted four sets of petitions sent to the EFCC against Saraki in May and June 2012 written by the Kwara Freedom Network.
Mr. Michael Wetkas, the first prosecution witness who tendered the petitions told the tribunal that he led the inter-agency team that investigated an intelligence report on the allegations leading to the charges instituted against Saraki before the tribunal.
However, he told the tribunal under cross-examination by Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), that the petitions had nothing to do with the charges instituted against Saraki before the CCT.
But Agabi had said he needed to cross-examine Wetkas on the petitions in order to challenge the contents and because they were tendered through the witness.
Wetkas, however insisted that the allegations contained in the petitions were not the basis of the investigation which his team conducted leading to the charges of false asset declaration preferred against Saraki.
Wetkas confirmed under cross-examination that the petitions were written about one year after Saraki left office as governor of Kwara State in 2011.