A billionaire Federal High Court Judge will today in Abuja give his ruling on a legal effort by the Senate President to scuttle his trial for corruption before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Less than one month after recusing himself from the case, Justice Abdukadir Abdu-Kafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja will today, give his ruling on a legal effort by embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki to scuttle his trial for corruption before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
It was reported that the senate president submitted a legal application to the Federal High Court claiming that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), where he is on trial for corruption and false assets declaration, had violated his fundamental human rights.
Earlier, Justice Kafarati had recused himself from the case following an expose by SaharaReporters revealing the judge's reputation for being compromised by wealthy or politically connected clients.
According to SaharaReporters, Saraki’s lawyer on his human rights application, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, has had a long relationship with Justice Kafarati. Several lawyers told SaharaReporters that Oluyede, who also defended wanted drug baron and Nigerian senator, Buruji Kashamu, was known for compromising Justice Kafarati on numerous legal cases on the judge's docket.
SaharaReporters also revealed that agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have discovered no less than N2 billion in Justice Kafarati’s bank accounts. The judge told EFCC operatives that the vast amount of money were proceeds from his farming enterprises.
It can be recalled that news of Saraki’s legal application in the Federal High Court in Abuja caught members of the public by surprise since the substantive matter of the application that the CCT was violating his human rights because the tribunal allegedly has no jurisdiction to try him, was already considered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. On February 5, 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that the CCT has the competence to try Saraki for corruption.
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