Skip to main content

CCT trial: Witness denies knowledge of Saraki earning two salaries

Senator Bukola Saraki

Senator Bukola Saraki

A prosecution witness in the on-going trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday said that he had no knowledge that the defendant was earning double salaries.

The witness, Michael Wetkast, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) at the resumed hearing, in the case false declaration of assets, while being cross examined by the defence Counsel, Mr Paul Usoro (SAN).

Part of the 16-count charge before the CCT against Saraki is that he earned double salaries between 2007 and 2011.

Count 16 of the charge reads “that you, Dr Bukola Saraki while being Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 2007 to 2011 earned Salary from the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government”.

The witness told the tribunal that his evidence was based on the statement of account of the defendant.

“I did not investigate the Kwara State Government or its officials during my findings; I also did not speak with the state officials or with the defendant during my investigation.

“My evidence is based on my findings,” Wetkast said.

Meanwhile, one of the Counsels to the prosecution, Mr Musa Ibrahim, informed the tribunal that they might need to re-examine the witness.

According to Ibrahim, the lead prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs who will re-examine the witness is not on seat and that they cannot do it alone.

The Justice Umar Danladi-led tribunal Chairman adjourned possible re-examination of the witness in the matter until Jan. 11, 2017.

According to the Judge, the tribunal may not be able to continue with the matter this year because of its busy schedule.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Man docked for defiling 9-year-old girl

magistrate-court A 33-year-old man, Godwin Otobo, was on Monday docked at a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.For allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl, ‎Otobo, who lives at No. 10, Borrow Pit St., Sangotedo-Ajah area of Lagos, was said to have defiled the underage girl whose parents also reside in the same compound. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the accused committed the offence at about 9.00 p.m. sometimes in September. “The accused defiled the girl in the night when she was fetching water.‎ “The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,’’ Osayande told the court. The accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge of defilement. Ruling on a bail application filed by the accused, Chief Magistrate Ipaye Nwachukwu, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. She said one of the sureties must be a property owner in Lagos State, while the other must be a civil servant on grade...
Post a Comment
Read more