An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Michael Wetkas on Wednesday told the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, how the Senate President, Bukola Saraki allegedly refused to declare a property he acquired through his company, Carlyed Properties Limited.
Wetkas made the allegation while been cross examined by Saraki’s counsel, Paul Usoro, SAN, on count 6 which stated that the Senate President failed to declare the property located in Maitama, Abuja, which he acquired in 1993.
Reading a letter from Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency, AMMA, Wetkas explained to the tribunal that the property was transferred to Saraki using a power of attorney.
Wetkas said, “The power of attorney was transfered to Carlyed property by Baba Akawu.”
But Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Usoro, SAN, contended that the power of attorney was made in 1993, 10 years before the Senate President became governor.
Usoro argued that the power of attorney was issued between one David Baba Akao and Carlyed Properties Limited and not his client.
However Wetkas contradicted himself while responding to a question from Usoro, saying Saraki’s name was not mentioned in the document the commission got from AMMA.
Wetkas said, “in the files given to us by AMMA, the name of the defendant was not mentioned.
“There is no where in the documentation the defendant’s name is mentioned. Though the documentation is in the name of Carlyed Properties, we believed it belonged to Saraki because it is his company and he later declared the property as his own in his subsequent asset declaration.”
Referring to exhibit 25, a letter from Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, addressed to EFCC, Usoro explained that Saraki’s wife owned Carlyed and not Saraki.
But Wetkas countered it,saying the Senate President used his company to acquire the property under contention.
Wetkas said, “We spoke to one of the Directors who is the wife of Saraki, Oluwatoyin Ojora who confirmed that the company belonged to Saraki.
“We interracted with the wife of the defendant, Oluwatoyin Ojora who told us the company belonged to her husband.
“Her position was confirmed by the Managing Director of Carlyed that the company belonged to Saraki.”
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