An EFCC witness, Michael Wetkas, on Monday, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that Senate President Bukola Saraki used different bank drafts to buy properties in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Saraki is facing a 13-count charge
bordering on allegations of false asset declaration and money
laundering. He had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the EFCC witness, who was led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said Saraki bought the properties through his companies.
He said investigations revealed that
House No. 15, Macdonald Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and Block 15, Flat 1 to 4
of the same street belonged to Saraki.
According to him, the senate president
bought the properties from the Presidential Committee on Sale of Federal
Government Landed Properties in Lagos through his companies.
He added that the defendant made a bank draft in the name of TYNITY Company Limited, which he declared in the Asset declaration form.
He noted that when the EFCC
investigation team wrote to the Presidential Committee seeking
clarification, the committee said that from their records, the only
property sold to the company was No. 15, Macdonald Street, Ikoyi.
Wetkas said 75 per cent, which amounted
to N123.7million was paid for House No. 15, Macdonald Street, Ikoyi,
through a bank draft from the account of one of Saraki’s company called Skyview Properties Limited in Access Bank.
He also said that investigation revealed
that the defendant made a bank draft through his company TYNITY and
paid for House No. 17, Macdonald Street in Ikoyi, Lagos in the sum of
N256.3million.
“My lord, there was a draft of N12.8
million and another draft of N20 million from Zenith Bank, as well as a
draft of N4 million from GTBank as part of payment for the purchase of
House No. 17, Macdonald Street. The N20 million draft came from Carlys Properties and Investment Limited
and a draft of N136.1 million was made on Jan. 13, 2007 for the
purchase of the same property. Another draft of N180.6 million was made
through Saraki`s personal bank account in GTB,” he said.
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.
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