The chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, on Wednesday said that the trial of the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, can not hold daily basis as the tribunal had other cases before it.
Mr. Saraki is facing trial before the CCT on a 16-count charge bordering on false and anticipatory asset declaration, which he allegedly made as the governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.
On April 18 last year, Mr. Umar said the trial would henceforth proceed on day-to-day basis, noting that the session would begin 10am and end 6pm everyday until the conclusion of the case.
He premised his decision to conduct the trial on daily basis on the provisions of Section 396(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
But Mr. Umar apparently backtracked on Wednesday when he overruled request by the prosecution to allow the trial to hold on daily basis.
He however granted the earlier request for adjournment till January 17 but said the trial “cannot go on from day-to-day.”
“We have other cases,” he said.
Earlier the first prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, concluded his testimony after a re-examination by the defence counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
After the re-examination, Mr. Jacobs urged the court to adjourn the trial till next week to enable him call his next witness, saying the witnesses were in Lagos, so he needed time to bring them to Abuja.
