Former Senate President, former Kwara Gov., for culpable homicide trial June 4

The Kwara State Government has officially filed a 20-count charge against former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed over their alleged arming of top suspects convicted in the tragic Offa armed robbery incident of April 2018.

The other suspects are the Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed, Yusuf Abdulwahab and another aide, Alabi Olalekan.

The long awaited trial with charge No: kWS/114C/26 comes after the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of the suspects, including Ayo Akinnibosun, who had allegedly confessed during trial to being a hit man of Saraki’s political dynasty.

Saraki and others are to face a 20-count charge of culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy, among others.

They will be arraigned before Hon. Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court of Justice in Ilorin.

It will be recalled that vehicles and some exhibits traceable to the crime scenes were recovered from the Kwara State Government House and a government ministry in 2018 and same were used as exhibits leading to the conviction of the suspects.

Although Saraki had denied knowing Akinnibosun, the two had been seen together in photographs taken during the wedding of Saraki’s child, even as Akinnibosun and his gang members also allegedly escorted Saraki to Offa on the condolence visit following the same bank robbery.

In his proof of evidence before the court, Yusuf Abdulwahab, the then Chief of Staff, admitted to giving Akinnibosun the Lexus Jeep as well as other groups.

He also said Akinnibosun and his group members visited Government House occasionally to discuss their empowerment and that the vehicle gift was at the instance of the then Government.

Meanwhile, Saraki has denied any involvement in the 2018 Offa bank robbery, stating that fresh criminal charges filed against him by the Kwara State Government is politically motivated.

In a detailed statement, he also described the action of the state government as an abuse of judicial process.