Nigeria to appeal senate chief's acquittal

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - The Nigerian government has said it would appeal a tribunal ruling last week that acquitted the country's senate president in a corruption trial.

Bukola Saraki was tried for 18-count charge of false assets declaration and unlawful operation of foreign accounts. But the court last week acquitted the top politician, maintaining that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case against him.

The government immediately called the ruling a "travesty of justice", with several civic groups including Amnesty International rejecting the judgment.

Local news medium Punch quoted a presidential spokesman Okoi Obono-Obla as saying that a notice of appeal would be filed this Wednesday.

"Definitely we are going to appeal against the ruling in Saraki’s case. One of our grounds of appeal is that the tribunal misapplied the law," Obono-Obla said.

"For instance, the standard of proof that the tribunal used is not applicable to charges of false declaration of asset.

“It [charge of false asset declaration] is a strict liability offense, so you cannot apply the standard of proof that is applied in the regular criminal proceedings," he added.