Presidency to appeal Saraki’s acquittal by CCT

The code of conduct tribunal’s acquittal of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki will be challenged by the federal government in the Court of Appeal.

The acquittal of the Senate president at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, according to the special adviser to the President on prosecutions, Okoi Obono- Obla will have a negative implication for Nigeria’s fight against corruption as well as jurisprudence on false asset declaration if left to stand.

Obla said, “Federal government will definitely appeal because we will not want that to be Nigeria’s jurisprudence on assets declaration, and so that a bad precedent will not be set.”

“If we allow that judgement to stand, it is bye bye to the war against corruption.”

See also  Implementing Sharia law in Nigeria’s South-West recipe for trouble - Catholic Church

That ruling was “outrageous”, Mr. Obono-Obla said, arguing that it was not based on the weight of the evidence adduced by the prosecution.

He added that the “no-case submission” upheld by the tribunal was “anachronistic”.

“Overwhelming evidence was adduced by the prosecution. We saw the best of advocacy from one of the best advocates in the country, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN. Contrary to that, no case submission, which I considered anachronistic, was upheld.

“The tribunal should have overruled the no-case submission and called the defendant to defend himself. Standard of proof cannot be the same as ordinary criminal prosecution. You falsely declared your assets, then the onus shifts to the defendant to prove he didn’t make false declaration,” said Mr. Obono-Obla.

See also  Implementing Sharia law in Nigeria’s South-West recipe for trouble - Catholic Church

According to him, it is envisaged the federal government will appeal against the acquittal of Mr. Saraki by Wednesday.

“We are studying the judgement; we should get the certified true copy by Monday or Tuesday. Then, we will file notice of appeal on Wednesday,” he said.

The decision of the tribunal to dismiss the case against the Senate president has been criticised by many Nigerians including the Prof Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption.