>
The Code of Conduct Tribunal could not go on with the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki today as his 66 lawyers led by Kanu Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation filed for a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the case.
Rotimi Jacobs, the prosecuting counsel had told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that he is ready for the trial of Nigeria’s senate president, Bukola Saraki and that his witnesses are in court.
But the defence counsel, Kanu Agabi, said a motion has been filed to challenge the juridisction of the tribunal. He said the tribunal cannot proceed without a ruling on the motion which he said was filed on Monday.
According to him, the motion has been served on the Ministry of Justice.
“Your Lordship must rule on the motion no matter how frivolous it is,” Agabi told Justice Umar.
Jacobs called attention of the court to the ruling of the Supreme Court that the trial must go on. Jacobs said he has not been served any motion until now though the defence counsel knows that he is the prosecutor in the case.
The prosecution and the defence counsel then agreed to set out March 18, 2016 for the argument of the motion on jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try Senate President, Bukola Saraki on a charge of false asset declaration slammed on him by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
Mr Danladi Umar, president of the Code of Conduct Tribunal asked the defence to ensure that he served all motions and processes on the prosecution counsel to avoid further delay of the trial.
He therefore adjourned the case to Friday, March 18, 2016 for moving of the motion and possible hearing of the substantive matter.
The Senate President sat in the dock as the lawyers exchanged arguments.