Tag Archives: Danladi Umar

Saraki’s trial will no longer be from day-to-day, says CCT Judge

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Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), says the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki will not take place from “day-to-day”.

?This is contrary to his statement in April 2016 that the trial of the senate president would take place every work day.

Earlier, Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the federal government, which is prosecuting Saraki for false asset declaration, had asked the tribunal to adjourn the trial to next week to enable him to call his next witness.

He said some of his witnesses were still in Lagos, and that they would need some time to arrive? in Abuja.

He also prayed the tribunal to give a ruling that the trial would be from day-to-day.

This was after he had re-examined Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and prosecution witness, on some of the statements he made when he was being cross-examined by Paul Usoro, Saraki’s lawyer.

The CCT chairman granted? him his request for an adjournment, but he denied the prayer for a day-to-day trial.

“I’m? going to adjourn this matter to next week, but it cannot go on from day to day. We have other cases,” he said.

He, thereafter, adjourned the case to January 17.

“Please put an end to the trial”, Saraki’s lawyer appeals to CCT judge

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Kanu Agabi, counsel to Senate President Bukola Saraki, has appealed to Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), to end Saraki’s trial.

 

The nation’s number three citizen is facing 16 counts of false asset declaration brought against him by the government, and his trial continued on Wednesday.

 

Welcoming counsel for the prosecution and the defence to the tribunal, Umar said he hoped that this year’s proceedings would be rancour free.

 

He also said he? believed everyone was happy to be back at the tribunal.

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But Agabi quickly rose to say the defence was not happy to be at the tribunal.

 

“Our prayer this year is that you free us from all these. We are not happy to be here,” he said.

 

“It is my fervent prayer is that this matter will end in peace.”

“I have other important things to do”, says CCT judge. Pushes Saraki’s trial to January.

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Danladi Umar, chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), on Tuesday adjourned the trial Senate President Bukola Saraki to January 11.
Announcing the adjournment after sitting for only 30 minutes, Umar said he had “other important thing to attend to”.
Before his announcement, Umar allowed Paul Usoro, Saraki’s counsel, to finish cross-examining Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and prosecution witness.
Usoro cross-examined Wetkas on count 16 of the charge of false declaration of assets brought against Saraki by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
While being cross-examined on the charge, Wetkas admitted that he did? not speak with the Kwara state government or interrogate Saraki on the allegation.
?Usoro: Did you speak with Kwara state government or officials as regard this allegation.
 
Wetkas: No, didn’t speak with them.
 
Usoro: Throughout the investigation you didn’t speak with defendant?
 
Wetkas: Yes, that is correct.
 
Usoro: So, in respect of this charge you didn’t have any input from him?
 
Wetkas: No,  I did not.
 
?Usoro cross-examined the witness for about three months.
The charge read in part: “That you Saraki while being senator did receive monthly salary as governor of Kwara state.”