Bukola Saraki attending his CCT trial
A witness, Michael Wetkas, on Monday, told the Code of Conduct
Tribunal (CCT) that Senate President Bukola Saraki used different bank
drafts to buy properties in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Mr. Saraki is facing a 13-count charge bordering on allegations of
false asset declaration and money laundering. He had earlier pleaded not
guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the witness, an official of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who was led in evidence by
prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said Mr. Saraki bought the
properties through his companies.
He said investigation revealed that House No. 15, Macdonald Street,
Ikoyi, Lagos and Block 15, Flat 1 to 4 of the same street belonged to
Mr. Saraki.
According to him, the senate president bought the properties from
the Presidential Committee on Sale of Federal Government Landed
Properties in Lagos through his companies.
He added that the defendant made a bank draft in the name of TYNITY
Company limited, which he declared in the Asset declaration form.
He noted that when the EFCC investigation team wrote to the
presidential committee seeking clarification, the committee said that
from their records, the only property sold to the company was No. 15,
Macdonald Street, Ikoyi.
Mr. Wetkas said 75 per cent, which amounted to N123.7million was
paid for House No. 15, Macdonald Street, Ikoyi, through a bank draft
from the account of one of Mr. Saraki’s company called Skyview
Properties Limited in Access Bank.
He also said that investigation revealed that the defendant made a
bank draft through his company TYNITY and paid for House No. 17,
Macdonald Street in Ikoyi, Lagos in the sum of N256.3million.
“My lord, there was a draft of N12.8 million and another draft
of N20 million from Zenith Bank, as well as a draft of N4 million from
GTBank as part of payment for the purchase of House No. 17, Macdonald
Street.
“The N20 million draft came from Carlys Properties and
Investment Limited and a draft of 136.1 million was made on Jan. 13,
2007 for the purchase of same property. Another draft of N180.6 million
was made through Mr. Saraki`s personal bank account in GTB."
The prosecution tendered a total of 43 exhibits, which were admitted in evidence.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Danladi, then turned
down a request by Mr. Saraki’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), asking for
daily records of proceedings of the court.
In his explanation, Mr. Danladi said the request would not be
possible because it would overburden the registry of the court and that
the law required defence to apply within a specific time and not daily.
However, a mild drama ensued when Mr. Agabi urged the tribunal not
to further fix trial dates at a time when Senate was having plenary.
The tribunal, however, overruled his submission, saying it was the defendant that was facing trial and not the Senate.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment