PEPC Session: Tribunal admits US court documents on Tinubu’s $460,000 forfeiture as exhibit
Admits BVAS’ printout, PVCs from 36 states in Atiku’s petition
BY ANDREW OROLUA
The Presidential Election Petition Court PEPC on Tuesday in Abuja admitted in evidence, a United States of America (USA) District Court judgment which reportedly indicted Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ordered his forfeiture of $460,000 in drug related offences.
The certified true copy of the judgment was tendered through the bar by Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, who led the first witness Barrister Lawrence Uchechukwu Nnana Nwakaeti in evidence at the hearing of the petition filed by the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP,) Mr Peter Gregory Obi against the election of Tinubu.
The documents which were marked by the PEPC as exhibits PA (1 to 5) were a copy of the United state’s court judgment on the alleged conviction of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to a fine of $450,000.
The court also admitted and marked as exhibits INEC Form EC11A, Form EC 9 A, EC B A, which are the results of February 25, 2023 general election as exhibits. All the documents admitted in evidence were tendered by Okutepa SAN.
Led in evidence by Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, the first witness at the hearing of Peter Obi and Labour Party, LP, petition Barrister Lawrence Uchechukwu Nnana Nwakaeti adopted his statement on oath and prayed the court to take it as his oral evidence.
Tinubu’s lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN indicated his objection to the tendering of the United States court documents but reserved the objection till the final stage of written addresses.
Under cross-examination by Olanikpekun, SAN, the witness said that the document were not certified by United States Consulate but that the issuing authority in the United States certified it as true copy.
The witness said he was surprised to hear from his examiner that there was no where in the judgment the word fine was used. He said that the document speaks for itself. He however admitted that no certificate was issued in respect of the judgment in Nigeria.
Nwakaeti also told the court, under cross examination by Lateef Fagbemi SAN, lead counsel for APC, that he did not obtain any certificate from the United States police officer where Tinubu was tried and convicted to a fine. He said that police report was not needed in such cases handled by United States District court.
While Lateef Fagbemi, APC drew the attention of the court to a formal clearance report by the United’s legal attache dated February 4, 2023. The witness said he was not aware of the letter.
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When asked by Fagbemi SAN to produce a copy of the charges against Tinubu, the witness admitted not having any but maintained that the indictment and forfeiture are from civil proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani has adjourned further hearing in Obi’s petition till May 31.
