CCT says Saraki has no cases to answer, acquits him

———By Shedrack Onitsha————

 

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has discharged and acquits Senate President Bukola Saraki for lack of evidence to continue with the case in the 18-count charge of non-declaration of assets case brought against him by the Federal government.

 

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, on Wednesday in his ruling said Saraki had no case to answer and upheld the no case submission filed by the Senate President.

 

The CCB had on September 16, 2015 filed a 13-count charge against Saraki for alleged false and anticipatory declaration of assets.

 

The charges were increased to 15 on April 18, 2016 and another charge was added on April 27, 2016 to make it 16, and it was later increased to 17 on January 11, 2017 and finally to 18 on February 23, 2017.

Saraki entered a no-case submission before the CCT on May 26, 2017.

He argued that none of the exhibits tendered and no evidence given by the four prosecution witnesses linked him to the alleged offences to warrant him to defend the charges.

The three-man tribunal ruled that the prosecution had not brought enough evidence to continue the trial and as such discharged and acquitted Saraki of all wrongdoings and struck out the case.

As the news of the ruling broke, fans of Saraki took to the social media to praise the tribunal for the justice.