Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, arrived the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Jabi, Abuja where their trial for alleged forgery commences, on Monday morning, June 27, at 8:48am in company of at least 30 senators.
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They came in two Coaster buses and a string of cars.
Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, are accused of illegally altering the Senate’s Standing Rule used in electing leaders and inaugurating the upper legislative chamber on June 9, 2015.
The accused were initially scheduled for arraignment on June 21, but that was moved forward following the inability of the prosecution, the Attorney-General of the Federation, to serve notices of summons on the defendants individually.
Subsequently, the presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Haliru asked the prosecution to make the serve the surmons on the defendants through substituted means, by pasting it on the notice board of the National Assembly.
That evening, the prosecution acted as directed by the court.
But Saraki objected to the substituted means of service by the prosecution, and is demanding that the charges against him be dropped in its entirety.
Saraki’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji, who filed the motion said his client was already facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, and that the recent charge would prevent him (Saraki) the right to prepare adequately for his defence at the Tribunal.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, the political party to which Saraki belongs, said it would investigate the forgery allegation against Saraki and the other suspects.
Meanwhile, spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has dispelled rumors that the Presidency is behind the travails of Saraki and Ekweremadu.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves, to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of Conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.”
Count two reads: “That you Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu on or about the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with fraudulent intent forged the Senate Standing Order 2011 (as amended) causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when you knew that the said Order was not made in compliance the procedure for amendment of the Senate Order, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”