The Federal Government has explained why the forgery charges it leveled against the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and two others was withdrawn.
Saraki, Ekweremadu, as well as a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and a former Deputy clerk, Ben Efeturi, were first arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu on June 10, 2016 on charges bordering on forgery of the Senate rules, to which they all pleaded not guilty.
Reports however emerged yesterday that the government has decided to withdraw the charges leveled against the principal officers of the National Assembly.
At Friday’s resumed hearing, lead counsel to the government, Aliyu Umar, SAN, informed the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Jabi Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, that the charges were dropped due to a pending case related to the charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to Umar, “This government respects the rule of law, and hierarchy of the judiciary. It is obvious from these two applications (filed by Saraki and Ekweremadu) and the similar case before your learned brother, Justice Kolawole, at the Federal High Court who is dealing with the issue that we are withdrawing the charges.
“It is trite that two matters of the same subject matter cannot be before different courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
“Therefore, the amended charge dated October 5, 2016 and also the original dated June 10, 2016 and filed the same date be struck out and all the four defendants be discharged.”
Following the application for the withdrawal of the suit, Justice Halilu struck out the case.
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