Nigeria makes new move to hold senate chief accountable

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - The government has filed an appeal at a court in the capital Abuja against a tribunal’s ruling that allowed the country's Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to walk away from 18 charges of corruption, including false asset declaration.

On June 14, the Code of Conduct Tribunal acquitted Saraki from all corruption charges on the grounds that the government had been unable to prove the charges during the two-year long trial.

While some politicians and the senator's supporters hailed the ruling, several civil society organizations and anti-corruption activists lampooned it, saying the move would only serve to bolster corruption in the country.

In its notice of appeal filed on Tuesday evening, the government said the onus of providing proof that no crime had been committed was on the politician after documents show his assets declaration were false.

The 11-ground appeal notice sought an upturn of the tribunal ruling and an order directing the politician from Kwara Central to face a retrial in the corruption case.

The government appeal is being seen as a test of President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to fight against corruption in the country.

"The tribunal’s decision is unconstitutional and without jurisdiction," the government said in the notice of appeal signed by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs and Pius Akutah, an official in the Justice Ministry.

"The judgment of the lower tribunal is unwarranted, unreasonable and against the weight of evidence," it added, contending that the ruling contradicted settled criminal cases at appellate courts.

The government said the tribunal erred in its application of law by upholding Saraki’s no-case submission “when the onus of proof” was on the Senate president to show “that there was no infraction in the Code of Conduct Forms".

No date has been fixed for hearing of the appeal.