Saraki’s corruption trial to start on Friday

The Code of Conduct Bureau, is expected to arraign Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Friday, September 18, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, in Abuja.

Saraki will be docked on a 13-count charge of gross corruption and false declaration of assets.
The Code of Conduct Bureau had on Friday, September 11, slammed the charges against Saraki.
The charges were filed by the Deputy Director in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, M.S.Hassan.
The charges against Saraki include false declaration of assets, alleged acquisition of assets beyond his legitimate earnings and keeping foreign accounts while holding public office first as Kwara State governor in 2003 and later as a senator.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, supposedly confirmed to Punch that Saraki had been served notice of the charges.
Olaniyonu was quoted to have said: “Yes. We have been served”.
Reacting to the charges on Wednesday, Saraki appeared unruffled, as he described the allegations against him as being mischievous, while vowing to defend himself.
“There is no doubt about that. It is mischievous, it is not correct and the issues therein are not true. As far as we are concerned, we are not shaken. We will focus on what we have come to the Senate to do. I was elected by the people. I was elected by my colleagues to work for what is good and in the interest of this country and that is what I will do.
“For the Code of Conduct Tribunal to wait for 13 years before working on a declaration that was made since 2003 is ridiculous. I have always done my declaration and we will defend those allegations but we will continue to do our work here”.