The Senate President Dr Bokula Abubakar Saraki yesterday pleaded not guilty for the amended 18 count charge slammed on him by
Code of Conduct Tribunal on behalf of federal government, at the ongoing false asset declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.
Prosecution team led by Mr Rotimi Jacob (SAN), filed the amended fresh charge on the 8TH February, 2017, after the trial had gone underway while PW III from Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr Samuel Madojemu, head of Investigation Unit of the Bureau is testifying against the Senate President, when the Prosecution counsel raised an objection for the continuation of the trial pending when his client takes his plea, which necessitated short adjournment.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Dr Saraki pleaded not guilty at the fresh 18 count amended charge, where he denied all the allegations charge. He maintained that the trial is politically motivated.
However, the PW III, Mr Madojemu of the CCB insisted that Saraki had failed to declare his properties at No 15 A and 17 A MacDonald street Ikoyi, Lagos, in his asset declaration form. He said most of the documents tendered as exhibits were obtained by EFCC operatives, review and validated by CCB.
Mr Modujemu also testified that Saraki had made false declaration, that he acquired the properties through sales of agricultural commodities, when it was purchased using a loan from commercial bank. Conversely, under Cross examination by Paul Orokoro, among the defence counsels, the witness admitted that public officers are allow to owned shares in a company in addition in addition to owning farms for agricultural means.
He affirmed to the Danladi Umar led Tribunal that there is no law in the country at a moment that preclude public officer from having even majority or controlling shares in a company.
The witness also said that contrary to his averment in his asset declaration form, the Senate President did not acquire the said properties from the presidential committee on sales of federal government properties, but from another company G & C real estate property and Investment company.
The matter was adjourned to 2 March, 2017, at the instance of both counsels for continuation of cross examination of PW III from CCB.