The Code of Conduct Tribunal has scheduled July 13 to deliver its ruling on an application filed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asking its Chairman, Danladi Umar to disqualify himself from further presiding over his trial for alleged false declaration of assets.
The tribunal fixed the date for ruling after hearing parties, with the prosecution led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), describing the application as frivolous and urged the tribunal to dismiss it. Jacobs added he had filed a counter affidavit showing that the prayer being sought is the same trial they have been seeking since the start of the trial.
On the other hand, defence counsel, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), maintained that with the comment of the tribunal Chairman stating during the June 7, 2016 proceedings which he said his team had adjudged to be biased against the defence, the tribunal chairman could no longer do justice. Erokoro quoted Umar to have warned that the delay tactics deployed by the defence would not reduce the consequences of the trial.
Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar had on June 7 accused the Senate President of trying to delay his trial. Mr. Paul Erukoro said that the prosecution did not object to the facts of the statement and proceeded to read the statement but the prosecutor objected to reading the statement and his objections was upheld.
Erukoro then referred the tribunal to the written address of the prosecution where they, according to him admitted that the Chairman of the tribunal made the statement. Saraki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government before the CCT on 16 counts, including false and anticipatory asset declaration, which he allegedly made between 2003 and 2011 when he served as the Governor of Kwara State.
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