Senate President Bukola Saraki has maintained that he has been vindicated by Tuesday’s Appeal Court judgement which cleared him of 15 out of 18 charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
In a statement on Tuesday night signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President, Saraki, however, explained that he was still awaiting the Certified True Copies of the judgment, with a view to reviewing the three-count charges he was not cleared of.
According to Saraki, as soon as the appellate court makes the details of the judgement available, his lawyers will review the grounds of the decision and take appropriate action.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had nullified the acquittal ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) handed down in favour of the Senate President.
In a unanimous judgment in the appeal filed by the Federal Government against the Senate President’s acquittal in June this year, the three-man panel of the Court of Appeal headed by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe – Wilson dismissed 15 out of 18 counts filed before the CCT on the grounds of lack of evidence.
But the court ruled that Saraki had a case to answer with respect to three of the counts numbered 4, 5, and 6.
With the verdict of the Court of Appeal, Saraki will now return to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to open his defence in respect of the three counts.
But in a press release, Saraki said: “We noted the verdict of the Court of Appeal Court in which it agreed with the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal that Senate President, Bukola Saraki has no case to answer on 15 of the 18 charges filed against him by the Federal Government.
“We believe that upholding the no case submission by Saraki with regards to 15 of the 18 counts charges vindicates the innocence of the Senate President. At least, the judgement has confirmed the position of the Tribunal that the prosecution’s case was entirely based on hearsay, not on any concrete evidence.
“The verdict of the Court of Appeal, just like that of the Tribunal before it, aligned with our position that the preposterous claims made during trial by the prosecution concerning operation of foreign accounts, making anticipatory declarations, collecting double salaries, owning assets beyond his income and failure to declare assets owned by companies in which the Senate President owns interests, among others, have fallen like a pack of cards and lack any basis.
“On the remaining three counts, which really touch on two issues, referred back to the Tribunal for the Senate President’s defence, it should be noted that the Appellate Court only gave a summary of its decision today promising to provide the parties with Certified True Copies of the Judgment soon. As soon as it makes the details of the judgement available, our lawyers will review the grounds of the decision and take appropriate action.
“We remain convinced about the innocence of the Senate President on the three (or two) counts because we believe the decision of the Court of Appeal is not consistent with the submissions made by both parties at the Tribunal. Thus, it is our view that that aspect of the judgment will not stand”.
The statement further quoted the Senate President as expressing his confidence in the nation’s judiciary and its ability to dispense justice to all manners of people.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
