Assets declaration: CCT adjourns Saraki’s trial indefinitely .

Trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, over false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct SarakiTribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja has been adjourned indefinitely.

CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, announced the development yesterday after the prosecution star witness, Mr. Michael Wetkas, who had been under cross examination for about one month failed to show up in court.
The matter was adjourned for the continuation of cross examinationof the prosecution witness by Saraki’s counsel, Paul Usoro, SAN.

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob, SAN, had expressed worry that the cross examination had taken too long, saying that he had never seen where a cross examination would last for over one month. He described the development as a deliberate attempt to frustrate the trial. However, at yesterday’s sitting, Umar announced that the trial had been adjourned indefinitely, adding that that was done to afford Tribunal time to preside over other cases. “

We have other cases begging to be heard; we cannot because of this trial deny other cases the right to be heard on time. “This adjournment will enable the Tribunal time to attend to the other cases pending before it,” Umar said. Both the prosecution and defence team also said the break would give them ample time to prepare for their cases better. Wetkas is also testifying in the ongoing trial of former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The matter came up yesterday and investigation by our correspondent revealed that Wetkas at the court to testify, which may have been the reason why he could not make it to the Tribunal.

It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal few days ago, failed to preside over the appeal instituted by Saraki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Justice Umar-led tribunal to try him on the 16-count criminal charge, preferred against him by the Federal Government.

The inability of the Justices to form the constitutionally required quorum to hear the case stalled the appeal.
The Senate President is being tried by the Federal Government for alleged false asset declaration. He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him and said that he was being persecuted because of his position as the Senate President.