The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, PACAC, Itse Sagay, has expressed shock at the acquittal of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Mr. Sagay, septuagenarian professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said it was incredible Mr. Saraki got absolved and, therefore, advised the federal government to appeal the ruling.
The CCT on Wednesday cleared Mr. Saraki of false asset declaration, charges brought against him by the federal government. The tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, ruled that the prosecution failed to establish prima facie case against Mr. Saraki, thereby upholding a no-case submission made by the defendant’s counsel, Kanu Agabi.
“I was shocked myself by the ruling,” Mr. Sagay told sources on Wednesday. “The amount of evidence amassed against him (Mr. Saraki) was considerable; so, I am surprised it was said no prima facie had been made against him. It’s shocking that’s all I can say.”
The federal government arraigned Mr. Saraki before the CCT in September 2015, shortly after he defied his party, All Progressives Congress, to contest and win the National Assembly leadership.
As if he was sure he would lose at the CCT, he had exhausted all avenues, up to the Supreme Court, to avoid the trial, which, however, resulted in his favour on Wednesday.
“From the simple analysis of the evidence of the prosecution, we find it difficult to accept the seriousness of the witnesses. All the evidences were so discredited, unreliable that no reasonable court will attach probate value to them.
