COURT STRIKES OUT SARAKI’S MOTION TO STOP CCT TRIAL

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, struck out a motion the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, filed for an order staying further proceeding on his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja.

This came as the Court of Appeal, Abuja, also, yesterday, told the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, that it would not issue an order to the Federal High Court to stay proceedings of his trial. In Saraki’s case, a three-man panel of justices of the appellate court, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, discarded the motion after it was withdrawn by Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN. However, Agabi prayed the court for accelerated hearing of the substantive appeal challenging jurisdiction of the CCT to entertain the 13-count criminal charge the federal government instituted against his client.

Though Agabi did not adduce any reason his client decided to withdraw the motion for stay of proceeding, he, however, apologised to the appellate court panel for the decision. The withdrawal was not opposed by counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.

The court is yet to fix a date for hearing of the main appeal. Court stops Metuh’s bid to halt corruption trial Meanwhile, Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, said it would not order the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stay proceeding on the seven-count criminal charge pending against the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh. The appellate court took the decision on a day it commenced hearing on two separate appeals seeking to quash the charge. Whereas one of the suits was lodged by Metuh, his company, Destra.

Investment Limited, filed the second appeal. Both appellants are challenging the refusal of trial Justice Okon Abang to uphold the no-case-submission they entered against the charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against them. Shortly after the first appeal by Metuh was called up for hearing, his lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, notified the appellate court panel that his client had a motion seeking to stay further proceeding on the matter before the trial court. Metuh wanted the appellate court to halt further hearing on the charge against him, pending the determination of the substantive issues he raised against his trial. However, before Ikpeazu could move the application for stay of proceedings, head of the appellate court panel, Justice Abdul Aboki, said they would not grant the request.