After refusing to meet the "Code Of Conduct" tribunal twice, the warrant of arrest issued by the chairperson heading the tribunal, Danladi Umar has finally made him (Bukola Saraki) succumbed to attending the hearing today in Abuja.
Saraki was at the tribunal today escorted to the hearing with 50 other senators. While at the tribunal, there was a little bit of drama as the Nigerian senate president, Bukola Saraki refuses to enter the accused box, taking few minutes as lawyers of Mr Saraki and the chairperson of the tribunal argues if Saraki will be in the accused box or not, Bukola Saraki later entered into the accused for the hearing, and 13 counts of corruption charges were read to him by the lead prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacob. He pleaded no-guilty to all charges.
Mr Saraki was granted bail and was allowed to leave the accused person box, and was told by the chairperson of the tribunal, Danladi Umar to return to the tribunal hearing on October 21st, 2015 for a three-day trial that will end on October 23rd.
If Bukola is found guilty of breaching the code of conduct, this is what might happen according to the Nigeria constitution;
18. (1) Where the Code of Conduct Tribunal finds a public officer guilty of
contravention of any of the provisions of this Code it shall impose upon that
officer any of the punishments specified under sub-paragraph (2) of this
paragraph and such other punishment as may be prescribed by the National
Assembly.
(2) The punishment which the Code of Conduct Tribunal may impose shall
include any of the following -
(a) vacation of office or seat in any legislative house, as the case may be;
(b) disqualification from membership of a legislative house and from the
holding of any public office for a period not exceeding ten years; and
(c) seizure and forfeiture to the State of any property acquired in abuse or
corruption of office.
(3) The sanctions mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) hereof shall be without
prejudice to the penalties that may be imposed by any law where the
conduct is also a criminal offence.
(4) Where the Code of Conduct Tribunal gives a decision as to whether or
not a person is guilty of a contravention of any of the provisions of this
Code, an appeal shall lie as of right from such decision or from any
punishment imposed on such person to the Court of Appeal at the instance
of any party to the proceedings.
(5) Any right of appeal to the Court of Appeal from the decisions of the
Code of Conduct Tribunal conferred by sub-paragraph (4) hereof shall be
exercised in accordance with the provisions of an Act of the National
Assembly and rules of court for the time being in force regulating the
powers, practice and procedure of the Court of Appeal.
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(6) Nothing in this paragraph shall prejudice the prosecution of a public
officer punished under this paragraph or preclude such officer from being
prosecuted or punished for an offence in a court of law.
(7) The provisions of this Constitution relating to prerogative of mercy shall
not apply to any punishment imposed in accordance with the provisions of
this paragraph.
Watch the video of Saraki Bukola hearing here: