Not wanting to be dragged into technicalities and time-wasting tactics, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Danladi Umar, says the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki will now hold every day until the matter is concluded. He cited section 396(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, to back his decision.
He said this Monday at the resumed hearing in the case against the Senate President, explaining that the trial will now begin 10 am and end by 6 pm every day until the conclusion of the case.
At the resumed hearing of the case Monday a request was tabled for one hour stand-down by the lawyer who represented the prosecution, Mr. Gabriel Esegine.
Esigine told the tribunal that the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN had requested for the stand-down to enable him to appear briefly before the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
But this appeared to have infuriated the judge who overtly not satisfied with the request for stand-down, warned that the tribunal would no longer wait for anybody.
According to him, “By virtue of 396 (6) the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, criminal trial of a defendant after arraignment shall proceed day to day.
“This is what the tribunal intends to do. I’m saying this to both the prosecution and the defence, this tribunal will not wait for anybody.
“We will start by 10 am till about 6 pm till the conclusion of the case.
“For the benefit of those who want to pray we will give a break for about 15 minutes. By 4pm, we will give another 15 minutes break to enable people to stretch their legs.”
Lead defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN also joined the prosecution in pleading with the tribunal to grant the stand-down which the CCT Chairman reluctantly did as he stood the case down till 12 pm.
By this new development, the fate of Dr. Saraki would be decided sooner that expected.
