…says ‘I was tried, acquitted on same assets
The Senate president, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki said he had been tried, discharged and acquitted over the same property seized and marked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said the property were the subject of his arraignment before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by the Federal Government.
Saraki, who spoke yesterday through a statement by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu,
said he had never seen a place where someone, who had been declared innocent over a particular issue by the highest court in a country, would still be persecuted over the same issue.
He said, “If you look and check at the addresses of the properties they have marked, they are the same properties that formed the basis of his arraignment before the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the case dragged on to the Supreme Court.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to the fact that the EFCC marked certain property belonging to the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, obviously under the claim that they are subject of investigation.
“The action of the EFCC only reinforced our earlier stated position that their current investigation is mischievous, contrary to the tenets of the rule of law and only aimed at settling scores.
“This position is founded on the fact that these same buildings were the subject of earlier investigations by the EFCC as well as the case initiated by the Federal Government at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“So, if the highest court in the land had adjudicated and made a pronouncement on an issue, can it be reopened?”
The EFCC at the weekend reportedly sealed off the Senate President located in Ikoyi area of Lagos.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Toni Orilade, yesterday, said he is not aware of the report it has marked choices of property allegedly belonging to the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki in Lagos State.
Orilade said, “I am not aware of the marking, when I get information in respect thereof, I shall communicate with you immediately.
