Folarin Emmanuel, Abuja
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), has fixed March 8, 2018 for the Federal Government and Bukola Saraki to adopt their final addresses in the false asset declaration suit brought against the Senate President.
The tribunal had on February 6 fixed February 27 for the parties to adopt their addresses preparatory to judgment.
During the session, Kanu Agabi (SAN), counsel to Saraki, had claimed that the prosecution’s brief was only served on him February 26.
According to him, he requires some days to read through the process in order to respond to the issues raised.
Agabi, therefore, urged the court to adjourn the matter, adding that going ahead to adopt his client’s arguments without recourse to issues raised in the prosecution’s brief would be unprofessional.
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), counsel to the Federal Government, admitted that his brief was served late on the defence team.
He, however, blamed the late service on similar fate he suffered in the hands of the defence team.
Jacobs submitted that Agabi had served on him his process after the expiration of the seven days ordered by the tribunal, adding that the situation brought him in collision with the deadline.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on December 2017 partially set aside the decision of the tribunal that dismissed the suit against the senate president.
The appellate court ordered that Saraki be re-tried on three out of the 18-count charges filed against him by the Federal Government in 2015.
The panel led by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson, had dismissed 15 out of the 18-count charges, but ordered Saraki to answer count 4, 5 and 6 of the charges.
Outstanding three charges bordered on alleged false declaration of his property on 17A/17B, McDonald St., Ikoyi, Lagos and incoherent asset declaration after serving his tenure as governor of Kwara.
