The Abuja Division of the Court of
Appeal has struck out an application by Senate President Bukola Saraki
to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) pending the
determination of his appeal.
The court struck out the application after it was withdrawn by Saraki’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
Although the motion was slated for
hearing, Agabi however informed the court that he was withdrawing the
motion and apologised to the court for making the justices go through
the voluminous processes he filed in respect of the appeal only for him
to withdraw it.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdul Aboki, subsequently struck out the motion.
However, no date was fixed for hearing
of the substantive appeal as Justice Aboki said the adjourned date would
be communicated to the parties in the matter as soon as all the court
processes have been filed and exchanged by the parties.
In the substantive appeal, the Senate
president is challenging his trial at the tribunal on the grounds that
due process was not followed before the 13-count charge was slammed on
him.
Among others, Saraki is contending that he was not invited by the Code
of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make a statement on the alleged discrepancies
in the assets declaration forms he submitted to the CCB as required by
law before he was arraigned at the tribunal.
In another suit, the appeal filed by the
former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Mohammed Dasuki
(rtd), could not be heard yesterday, as it was adjourned to a date to be
communicated to the parties.
The appellate court could not hear the
appeal following the inability of the federal government (respondent) to
file the brief of argument.
The federal government’s counsel, Mr.
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the three-member panel of justices of the
appeal court that the appellant’s brief of argument was served on him
last week and that by the practice of the court, he had 10 days to file
the respondent’s brief of argument.
Jacobs asked for a brief adjournment to enable him file his brief, to
which Justice Aboki said that the date for hearing would be reserved
until all processes had been filed.
Also, the appeal filed by the National
Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa
Metuh, was adjourned to May 5, 2016 to enable the counsel to the EFCC,
Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, file his brief of arguments to the issues raised by
Metuh in his appeal.
Metuh is asking the Appeal Court to set aside the ruling of Justice Okon
Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, that he has a case to answer
in the money laundering and corruption charges brought against him by
the federal government.
Destra Investment Limited, a company
allegedly owned by Metuh, has engaged Tochukwu Onwubuifor (SAN) to
represent it in its appeal on the matter. Dr. Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN) had
withdrawn his representation from Destra Investment Limited.
Meanwhile, the appeal by the leader of
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, could not be
heard yesterday, as it was not slated on the course list.
Justice Aboki subsequently adjourned Kanu’s appeal to May 5, 2016 for hearing.The Abuja Division of the Court of
Appeal has struck out an application by Senate President Bukola Saraki
to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) pending the
determination of his appeal.
The court struck out the application after it was withdrawn by Saraki’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
Although the motion was slated for
hearing, Agabi however informed the court that he was withdrawing the
motion and apologised to the court for making the justices go through
the voluminous processes he filed in respect of the appeal only for him
to withdraw it.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdul Aboki, subsequently struck out the motion.
However, no date was fixed for hearing
of the substantive appeal as Justice Aboki said the adjourned date would
be communicated to the parties in the matter as soon as all the court
processes have been filed and exchanged by the parties.
In the substantive appeal, the Senate
president is challenging his trial at the tribunal on the grounds that
due process was not followed before the 13-count charge was slammed on
him.
Among others, Saraki is contending that he was not invited by the Code
of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make a statement on the alleged discrepancies
in the assets declaration forms he submitted to the CCB as required by
law before he was arraigned at the tribunal.
In another suit, the appeal filed by the
former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Mohammed Dasuki
(rtd), could not be heard yesterday, as it was adjourned to a date to be
communicated to the parties.
The appellate court could not hear the
appeal following the inability of the federal government (respondent) to
file the brief of argument.
The federal government’s counsel, Mr.
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the three-member panel of justices of the
appeal court that the appellant’s brief of argument was served on him
last week and that by the practice of the court, he had 10 days to file
the respondent’s brief of argument.
Jacobs asked for a brief adjournment to enable him file his brief, to
which Justice Aboki said that the date for hearing would be reserved
until all processes had been filed.
Also, the appeal filed by the National
Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa
Metuh, was adjourned to May 5, 2016 to enable the counsel to the EFCC,
Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, file his brief of arguments to the issues raised by
Metuh in his appeal.
Metuh is asking the Appeal Court to set aside the ruling of Justice Okon
Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, that he has a case to answer
in the money laundering and corruption charges brought against him by
the federal government.
Destra Investment Limited, a company
allegedly owned by Metuh, has engaged Tochukwu Onwubuifor (SAN) to
represent it in its appeal on the matter. Dr. Onyeachi Ikpeazu (SAN) had
withdrawn his representation from Destra Investment Limited.
Meanwhile, the appeal by the leader of
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, could not be
heard yesterday, as it was not slated on the course list.
Justice Aboki subsequently adjourned Kanu’s appeal to May 5, 2016 for hearing.
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