SEIZURE OF ASSETS: COURT MISLED INTO GRANTING TEMPORARY FORFEITURE ORDER, SAYS SARAKI

The former Senate President in reacting further argued that there is a subsisting court order issued by the Federal High Court, Abuja, in which the same property was a subject matter where the anti-graft and the Federal Ministry of Justice were parties.

Penpushing further reports, that Saraki in his explanation in the statement said, the court in that case gave an order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from taking any further action until the matter is determined.

 “We are sure the FHC judge in Lagos was not aware of all these facts and has therefore been misled into giving the temporary forfeiture order.  The affected property, House Number 17 A and 17B, was specifically  listed in the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in which the EFCC was part of the prosecution and the case went up to the Supreme Court where the apex court in its July 6, 2018 judgement ruled in his favour’, Saraki said.

 “The Supreme Court has ruled that the source of funds for the purchase of the property was not illicit as claimed by the prosecution. On pages 12, 13 and 26 of the judgement of the highest court, this particular property on 17A McDonald Street, Ikoyi, was specifically referred to and the court upheld the no case submission of Dr. Saraki and therefore ruled in his favour.

“We know that any action which tends to mislead the court amounts to misrepresentation and it is a good ground for us to get the Court to throw away the order it issued today. We are sure the order will be reversed.

 “We therefore call on all the friends, associates and supporters of Dr. Saraki to remain calm because we know this action will not stand when the court gets to hear the side of the former Senate President”, Saraki stated.