* Saraki 
Trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki continued Monday  at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, as the Federal Government maintained  that the lawmaker  did not list  some of his landed property on the assets declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

 Earlier,  the CCT Chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar ruled that henceforth the trial would now hold on daily basis from 10am to 6.00 pm till the case comes to a close.

 And upon resumption of the trial, the first prosecution witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  Micheal Wetkas continued his testimony when he  told the CCT that  Saraki failed to declare his property located at both No 1 and No 3, Targus Street, Maitama, Abuja in the assets declaration he made in 2007 and 2011, despite allegedly acquiring those property before becoming the  governor of Kwara state.

 He also said, although the assets declaration form  provides a column for factories, ranches, farms and enterprises, Saraki allegedly wrote in the column that, “I do not have”, while the commission’s investigation revealed that he has several companies.

 According to Wetkas, the Senate President has substantial and controlling shares in Skyview Property Limited, Carlisle Property and Investment Limited, Babs Trading and Manufacturing Limited, Delta Foods Limited, Lintas Limited, Orion-Agro Limited, PPI Limited, Bastone Limited, and  Quality Packaging Limited among others.

 Continuing, Wetkas claimed that the property on No. 15 A and B. Mcdonald, Ikoyi Lagos that were declared by Senator Saraki in  his assets declaration form, were bought in the name of Carlisle Property and Investment Limited from the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Sales of Federal Government Property.

 Among the documents tendered through the witness by the prosecution counsel, are  GTB Plc bank draft of the sum of N256.3 million, N12.8 million and another N24 million as part payment for property on No. 17 Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi, Lagos by the defendant.

 Led in evidence by Jacobs, the witness further  submitted that “there is another draft of N180.6 million dated April 3, 2007. We have another draft for N36.1 million dated January 10, 2007, both as part payment of the No 17 Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi Lagos.”

 Wetkas also said “even though the policy of the Presidential Committee does allow anybody to buy more than one property, the Senate President bought three of the property from the committee,” saying  the property at No 17 and 17A Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi were acquired in Saraki’s personal name, while the Property No 15, Mcdonald Street was bought under the name of Carlisle Property and Investment Limited.

 “Investigation revealed a list of property Saraki owned, one of which include Rustos Garden with nine property that yields a total income of N126 million per annum, which he also failed to declare,” he added.

 Under cross examination by Agabi, Saraki’s lead counsel, the witness told the Tribunal that it was the prosecutor who told him to file a summary report of his findings and activities during investigation.

 According to him, he filed the charge against the Senate President on September 14, 2015, the witness report, which forms part of proof of evidence was filed on October 30, 2015.

The prosecution tendered a total of 43 exhibits, which were admitted in evidence.

 The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar Danladi, then turned down a request by Saraki’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), asking for daily records of proceedings of the court.

 In his argument, Danladi said the request would not be possible because it would over burden the registry of the court and that the law required defence to apply within a specific time and not daily.

 However, a mild drama ensued when Agabi urged the tribunal not to further fix trial dates at a time when Senate was having plenary.

 The tribunal, however, overruled his submission, saying it was the defendant that was facing trial and not the Senate.