CCT trial: Saraki makes another move, flies in foreign experts
– Senate president, Bukola Saraki has engaged the services of a group of experts from some foreign countries to help his team of lawyers
– The experts are said to be crack investigators, forensic and handwriting specialists
– The experts who are from the US, Israel and one of the Scandinavian countries would assist Saraki’s legal team make a credible defence at the tribunal
The Senate president, Bukola Saraki has reportedly flown in a group of experts from the United States, Israel and one of the Scandinavian countries to provide ‘specialized services’ to his team of lawyers in his ongoing trial.
Bukola Saraki during one of his appearances at the CCT
The Senate president is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, for a 13-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets while he was the governor of Kwara state.
The Nation reports that the experts are not lawyers, but crack investigators, forensic and handwriting specialists, who will be in charge of getting more information on the witnesses and documents that have already been filed before the tribunal by the prosecution.
According to sources, the experts arrived on Monday, March 28, and would be leaving for Abuja soon to join Saraki’s team of lawyers led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) and commence work soon.
READ ALSO: CCT trial: Dismiss Saraki’s case, Lawyers urge Justice Umar
A source said: “The investigators will ferret out and scrutinize thoroughly all available information on the eight prosecution witnesses, including their school records, service records from their past and present places of employment and personal information that may help the defence team in the course of the trial. Most of those so-called witnesses will not be credible when information concerning their life is presented publicly before the tribunal.
“It is also expected that with the fear that the prosecution may present forged documents, our team needs to be vigilant and pro-active considering the manner in which the proceedings before the tribunal is being conducted. Our people believe that with the way properties that have nothing to do with Saraki are being put on the charge sheet, there are tendencies that documents to sustain their claims may have been forged. All these, the experts will screen and help the lawyers with information that may help them.”
Report has it that they will be moving to Abuja soon.
The listed witnesses who are mostly from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are Michael Wetcas, Nura Ali Bako, Mustapha Abubakar Musa, Nwachukwu Amasu, Samuel Madojemin, Adamu Garba and Bayo Dauda ( a member of staff of Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB).
READ ALSO: 80 lawyers represent Saraki at CCT trial
Saraki was arraigned September 18, 2015, but he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail.
He later appealed to the Supreme Court to stop the trial after the Court of Appeal in Abuja refused the request. The apex court on Friday, February 5, dismissed his appeal, paving the way for the continuation of the case at the CCT.
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