The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Okoi Obono-Obla, said on Saturday that the Federal Government is reportedly ready to appeal last Wednesday’s ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The CCT had discharged and acquitted Saraki of 18 charges of false asset declaration and other related offences preferred against him.
Obono-Obla, Punch reports, said that the government would file a notice of appeal against Saraki’s acquittal by Wednesday.
The presidential aide, who works in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, argued that the two-man panel of the CCT led by Danladi Umar, misapplied the law by adopting the wrong standard of proof in exonerating Saraki.
He said, “Definitely we are going to appeal against the ruling in Saraki’s case. One of our grounds of appeal is that the tribunal misapplied the law. For instance, the standard of proof that the tribunal used is not applicable to charges of false declaration of asset.
“It (charge of false asset declaration) is a strict liability offence, so you cannot apply the standard of proof that is applied in the regular criminal proceedings.
“Surely, we will file the appeal next (this) week Wednesday.”
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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