The Federal Government on Wednesday increased charges against the Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT over alleged false asset declaration.
Saraki is currently facing a 16-count charge for false asset declaration before the Danladi Umar-led tribunal sitting in Abuja. The Federal Government had in 2016 amended the charges from 13-counts to 16.
Counsel to the government, Rotimi Jacobs at the resumed trial today announced the decision to amend the charges, saying the motion has been served on all parties involved.
The amended charges were confirmed by the defence team who stated that they have been served by the prosecution. Counsel to Saraki, Kanu Agabi, also informed the tribunal that his client will want to enter plea for the fresh charges.
While proceeding with the case, the third prosecuting counsel in the case, Samuel Madujemu who is the Chief Administration Officer at CCB, today told the tribunal that Saraki upon assuming office as Kwara state governor, made his first assets declaration on September 16th 2003.
According to Madujemu, a joint investigative team involving the CCB, Federal Ministry of Justice and the EFCC, discovered that Saraki falsely declared his assets that year.
“After we discovered that there were some discrepancies, we commenced further investigations into the matter. One of the discrepancies we discovered had to do with false declaration and none declaration of some assets and some liabilities.”
The witness told the tribunal that Saraki under-declared some assets he acquired in 2006. For instance, he told the tribunal that Saraki declared two properties he bought in Lagos and left out two others. While reading from one of the assets declaration forms marked as exhibit-3, Madujemu said:
“My lord what I see here is No17a and 17b Mc Donald Street Ikoyi which the defendant acquired with a bank loan in 2006. No 15a and 15b Mc Donald Ikoyi which he also acquired in 2006 was not included in the assets he declared.”
