The Court of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chaired by Justice Danladi Umar, has practically rubbished an application filed by Ajibola Oluyede SAN, insisting that, the application filed against him by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki was baseless and brought by a busy body.
“How can you allow such rubbish to even happen, how can you even tell me to give an opportunity to address the tribunal when you know the motion he filed was not from the lead counsel”, Umar queried Adebayo Adelodun SAN, who held brief for Kanu Agabi as lead counsel.
A visibly and highly infuriated Umar kept shouting down Oluyede who insisted on making his point, a situation that got the tribunal sitting rowdy, while Oluyede also kept talking down the tribunal chairman, Umar ordered his security details to move him out, before he was eventually calmed down by Rotimi Jacobs SAN, prosecuting counsel and some registrars in the tribunal.
Tensions were however doused after the tribunal ordered that the day’s proceedings continue with the cross examination of the witness.
Oluyede while bringing the application to the notice of the tribunal, Jacobs had interjected informing the tribunal that the matter was adjourned for continuation of cross examination of witness, and that when he was served with the application, he told Oluyede to serve him through Saraki’s lead counsel, Agabi.
Jacobs premised his argument on Section 349 (7 and 8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), insisting that the application was not ripe for hearing since it was just served and would have to reply to it.
It was at this point the tribunal gave Jacobs the clearance letter he got from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on allegations of bribery to read out, upon which Oluyede jumped to his feet, openly accusing the chairman of having some questionable relationship with the anti graft agency.
As at the time of filling this report, the Prosecution Witness 1, Michael Wetkas is being cross examined by Paul Usoro SAN, counsel to Saraki.
Saraki had accused the chairman of the CCT, Justice Danladi Umar of bias and insisted that he cannot get justice under his chairmanship.
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