Emerging facts indicate that confusion has hit the camp of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has flown in forensic experts from overseas to mess up the eight witnesses lined up by his prosecutors.
Recall, that the Justice Dalandi Umar-led Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, had ruled that the Senate President must face the criminal trial brought against him by the Buhari-led Federal Government through the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.
The Nation reports that Saraki has decided to use both his financial and human resources to engage the prosecution in the suit filed against him over false asset declaration when he held sway as Governor of Kwara State.
The Senate President was slammed with a 13-count charge bordering on false declaration of asset and wanton corruption.
To invalidate his trial, sources said, Saraki has flown in a group of experts from the United States, Israel and one of the Scandinavian countries to provide ‘specialized services’ to his team of lawyers led by Kanu Agabi, SAN.
It was gathered that the experts are not lawyers, but are crack investigators, forensic and handwriting specialists whose role will be to help get more information on the witnesses and documents that have already been filed before the Tribunal by the prosecution.
“The investigators will ferret out and scrutinize thoroughly all available information on the eight prosecution witnesses, including their school records, service records from their past and present places of employment and personal information that may help the defence team in the course of the trial.
“Most of those so-called witnesses will not be credible when information concerning their life is presented publicly before the Tribunal.”
The source added, “It is also expected that with the fear that the prosecution may present forged documents, our team needs to be vigilant and pro-active considering the manner in which the proceedings before the tribunal is being conducted.
“Our people believe that with the way properties that have nothing to do with Saraki are being put on the charge sheet, there are tendencies that documents to sustain their claims may have been forged. All these the experts will screen and help the lawyers with information that may help them,” the source said.
The listed witnesses who are mostly from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are Michael Wetcas, Nura Ali Bako, Mustapha Abubakar Musa, Nwachukwu Amasu, Samuel Madojemin, Adamu Garba and Bayo Dauda (a member of staff of Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB).
Post-Nigeria learnt that the result of this disclosure has sent panic into the camp of the Federal Government and the APC, who are now making frantic efforts to cover up all loopholes as the trial is set to commence on April 5.
Reports indicate that the witnesses against Saraki are being schooled on how to answer and evade implicating questions from the Senate President’s legal team.
Eze Afrika
