Forgery: Court’s annual vacation stalls Saraki, Ekweremadu, others trial

…Hearing on Dasuki’s motion adjourned to Oct. 5

The scheduled commencement of trial in the forgery case against Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others on Monday has been postponed.

This is even as a Federal Capital Territory (FTC) High Court, Maitama, on Monday adjourned former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki’s motion for consolidation of two cases against him to October 5.

The postponement of Saraki’s, Ekwere,adu and others’ trial was informed by the commencement of the annual long vacation of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, former Clerk of the Senate, Salihu Abubakar Maikasuwa and Deputy Clerk of the Senate, Benedict Efeturi were arraigned on June 27 before Justice Yusuf Haliru, of the High Court of the FCT in Jabi, on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and forgery.

They were accused among others, of forging the Senate Standing Orders 2015, with which the elections for the offices of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President of the 8th Senate were conducted.

The four defendants, who each, face a maximum of 14 years imprisonment on conviction, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.

The court had, on the last date (June 27), adjourned to July 11 for the commencement of trial.

When parties got to court on Monday, they were informed that the court’s annual long vacation has commenced earlier than anticipated.

Court officials told lawyers representing parties that a circular for the annual vacation became public last Friday, but became effective on Monday.

Parties have agreed to return on September 28.

The defendants were all in court. While Abubakar entered the courtroom around 8:20am, Saraki, Ekweremadu and Efeturi arrived the court around8:50am.

Saraki, Ekweremadu and Efeturi rode into the court premises in a long convoy of cars, accompanied by some members of the Senate and their supporters.

Meanwhile, a Federal Capital Territory (FTC) High Court, Maitama, on Monday adjourned former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki’s motion for consolidation of two cases against him to October 5.

Dasuki, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the NSA, and Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former Executive Director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were arraigned for alleged diversion of N13.6 billion.

Also being tried were two firms – Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

At the last sitting, the motion was not moved due to the absence of Salisu’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN).

Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN), Counsel to Baba-Kusa, had said the motion should be moved in the presence of Olujimi.

Sequel to their submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, adjourned the case to July 11.

However, High Courts in Nigeria commenced their annual vacation on Monday.

All counsel in the case and the defendants were in court on Monday to pick a new date for hearing on the motion.