The Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Wednesday said the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Danladi Umar has no right to preside over his ongoing trial.
Saraki is currently standing trial at the tribunal for false declaration of assets.

The Senate President through his counsel, Raphael Oluyede informed the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, of a pending application filed on April 19, 2016, seeking the Chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar to disqualify himself from conducting the trials, citing likelihood of bias.

Oluyede alleged that there was a likelihood of bias on the part of Umar who was investigated for corruption to the tune of N10m by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as was directed by the then Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, adding that the same EFCC is the prosecution in the current matter involving his client who is the Senate President.

He claimed that Umar admitted to the anti-graft agency that he met with an accused person privately in his chambers, thereby raising doubt over his credibility to try this case.

Oluyede contended that the anti-graft agency in various letters alleged to have cleared the CCT Chairman do not completely clear him, saying “this evokes a cloud and we do not know what is behind it. We submit that the continued sitting of Umar on the panel removes the guarantee that the tribunal trying an accused person will act independently or impartially.”

On these grounds, Oluyede urged the tribunal to grant “the relieve sought in this application in the interest of justice.”


But counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs contended that the tribunal Chairman had the right to preside over the matter, stressing that Umar has not being tried in any court or being convicted before. He added that there is no evidence to show that Umar was still being investigated by the anti-graft agency.

He said, “Your Lordship has not being tried, convicted by any court, investigation is investigation.

“Even if he is under investigation, he can still continue with his duty. The defendant in this case despite being charged to court is still carrying out his duty as a senator.”

Jacobs argued that Oluyede was not a counsel on record when he brought up the application before the tribunal.

Citing Section 349(7)Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Jacobs argued that only the lead counsel can represent an accused person from commencement to the end of a trial, adding that a 3-day notice must be given.

He maintained that if the tribunal should consider the application of Saraki, it “means whenever a judge is accused , he should not sit over the matter which is not right.”

Jacobs also stated that EFCC had concluded its investigation on the alleged corruption charge against the tribunal Chairman since 2015, stressing that the anti-graft agency in a letter to the then Attorney General of the Federation dated 24 June 2014 never indicted or recommended that the tribunal Chairman be prosecuted contrary to the argument of Saraki’s counsel.

Jacobs while urging the tribunal to dismissed the application which he claimed is “frivolous” said it’s meant to “harass and disgrace the tribunal Chairman.”

Proceedings is still ongoing.

Details later…



http://dailypost.ng/2016/04/27/cct-trial-you-have-no-power-to-try-me-saraki-dares-tribunal-judge/

APC fighting APC..

Confused fellows

“Your Lordship has not being tried, convicted by any court, investigation is investigation.

SARAKI can never go down

Our leaders should go and sit down.
What are they doing concerning this herdsmen issue.

Umar is clearly disturbing this trial by insisting he must sit on it..... we need an untainted Judge and we want Saraki to be tried fast. Meanwhile EFCC has no powers to clear an accused only a court of competent jurisdiction can.
A Judge on administrative bail cannot for corruption cannot be trying a corruption case brought by his own very investigators.... Umar stop disturbing our anti-corruption crusade biko.

menstrualpad:
Umar is embarrassing the judiciary.... he should excuse himself we need to try Saraki flawlessly. datsall

Rotimi Jacobs is a very incompetent lawyer who talks more to the press than he talks in court....the case is for Umar not Jacobs what is Jacobs afraid of? Why is his case seems so much tied to Umar?

why are you following me Arch Lawal? Please unfollow me asap.

deepview:
Pls add me - 08036989033

We know. He must surely go down with you and his Abobaku Pa Chukwudi

TANTUMERGO007:
SARAKI can never go down

Sigidi fe sere ete, o ni ki won gbe oun s'omi....


Pride goes before the fall

SARAKI can never go down...he is very organised,He is a mafia manager,very intellegent and well collected,he is worth every bit of a senate president.


sai saraki,may your days be long,teaching the gworo chewing herdman of katsina and the yellow teeth of a lagos that there is a world of difference between chess and ludo and there is also a gap between alomo and champane.

a criminal judge cannot decide a case when his hands are dirty,the judge handling the immgration job exercise against abba moro has since withdraw from the case over some allegation but umar danladi that set tinubu free of similar charges is forming seat tight to judge this case,having been accused of corruption.
but zobies are quick on saraki because the want him out.


Remove saraki if you can but do it the proper way.

See saraki o
u said the judge should resign because he was been investigated,
bia bros, why havn't u resign from the senate since the commencement of ur trial.
Everything about dis guy is just corruption upon corruption.

After 2day sir, may be u shud go to ur LG customary court in search of justice as u've always done.



How can a presumed law breaker be the chairman of the law making body of our country.

Senate should be scrapped.
If u are in support say aye.

From look of things Saraki is ready to fight dirty, he started with case of Jagaban and bow he is face to face with Umar. Let's see how things unfold.

Saraki, has ridicule the red Chamber. He is requesting the CCT chairman to disqualify himself on alleged corrupt practices, but he sees nothing wrong on the allegation against him. What a law maker indeed!

this guy again

Saraki is a disgrace to every Nigerian. See the way this man is handling justice, how do u expect international community to deal wt us in this type of situation. The honourable thing to do is to resign in a sane society. The justice should be quick wt the case and send this man to kuje where he is rightly belong. We are tired of saraki this, saraki that.

hmmmph! this is getting more and more interesting

That's the problem in Nigeria. We have politicians who think they are far above the laws of the land

hmmmmm.... sara ...think b4 u talk

Saraki would soon walk away a free man. Danladi Umar should not have been allowed to remain a participant when he has corruption allegations hanging over himself.

YoursGEJ:
How many appeals will Saraki file?
Who appeal epp?

Whatever cannot stand the test of scrutiny
must in all probability have an undertone of
criminality.

Saraki is a .............

He claimed that Umar admitted to the anti-graft agency that he met with an accused person privately in his chambers, thereby raising doubt over his credibility to try this case.

How can corrupt Umar preside over a case of corruption?

Afama:
That's the problem in Nigeria. We have politicians who think they are far above the laws of the land

Exactly

ok

When you fight corruption, it fights back.

#istandwithjustice.

amaechi1:
Saraki, has ridicule the red Chamber. He is requesting the CCT chairman to disqualify himself on alleged corrupt practices, but he sees nothing wrong on the allegation against him. What a law maker indeed!

I wonder o!

amaechi1:
Saraki, has ridicule the red Chamber. He is requesting the CCT chairman to disqualify himself on alleged corrupt practices, but he sees nothing wrong on the allegation against him. What a law maker indeed!

After supreme court judgment of jurisdiction to try him.

Saraki.! Saraki..!! Saraki...!!! How many times did l call you? If you know whats good for you, you had better defend yourself, and stop attacking the judge. Shey you wanna, follow uncle Metuh way bah?



You go soon fall from that chair and break ya bone like sir Metuh. Just watch it.



But come to think of it, if saraki is basing is arguement on the case hanging on the judge neck, he too should resign and let have the equation balanced. Afterall EFCC came out to clear the judge, what else do bucky want nah?

If calabash cannot be open why not brake it completely.

He said, “Your Lordship has not being tried, convicted by any court, investigation is investigation.

“Even if he is under investigation, he can still continue with his duty. The defendant in this case despite being charged to court is still carrying out his duty as a senator.”


Senator Saraki's counsel should have seen this coming

nigeria a beautiful country with fulani herdsmen as leaders...why would me grow...APC not a sincere government as promised...


shashasha

Oya naaaaawww