Assets declaration: S/Court adjourns Saraki’s appeal indefinitely

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The Supreme Court yesterday, adjourned to a later date, hearing in the appeal filed by the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Federal Government challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal in the trial of Saraki on false assets declaration.
Saraki is praying the Apex Court to void the entire 18 count charges, while the Federal Government in its own cross appeal is praying the Apex Court to uphold the entire charges against the Senate President for defense.
The four-man panel of justices led by Justice Mohammed Musa Dattijo, adjourned to a date to be communicated to parties to enable parties in the case file and exchange process relating to it.
When the matter came up yesterday, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN, informed the court that the Senate President had just served on him, his response to the cross appeal of the government.
The SAN maintained that he needed time to study the reply and file his own process and serve same on Saraki as required by law.
Consequently, he moved a motion for an adjournment to enable him peruse the document.
Responding, Counsel to Dr. Saraki, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN), did not opposed the motion.
In a short ruling, Dattijo said that the court will not give definite date for hearing until all processes have been filed, adding that the Registrar of the court will communicate hearing date to parties involved as soon as their processes are confirmed filed and exchanged.
Saraki and government are contesting the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja division in which it nullified 15 out of 18 count charges filed against Saraki by government for being baseless and frivolous but asked Saraki to open defense on the rest three charges.