Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
The much-touted trial of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, for illegally operating foreign accounts while in office as
governor could not go on Wednesday before the Code of Conduct Tribunal
(CCT).
The trial was stalled because a new charge filed against the former governor was served on him in court.
In the new charge, Tinubu was said to have operated various foreign accounts between 1999 and 2007 with the following banks: First Heritage Bank in Illinois, Citibank of New York and HSBC in London.
The trial was stalled because a new charge filed against the former governor was served on him in court.
In the new charge, Tinubu was said to have operated various foreign accounts between 1999 and 2007 with the following banks: First Heritage Bank in Illinois, Citibank of New York and HSBC in London.
The offence was said to be contrary to section 7 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap C15 LFN, 2004 and punishable under section 23(2) of the same Act.
Some of the accounts he was alleged to have operated were either in his wife’s name or his children’s name.
The last count, which is count 3, reads: “That you Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State being a public officer as listed in part 11 of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, and having subscribed to the oath of office on assumption of office between 1999-2007 and while in office as such you misinform(ed) Code of Conduct Bureau by stating in the Form CCB1 that you do not have foreign account contrary to section 15(2) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.”
When the case was called, he entered the dock but his plea could not be taken before his legal team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), asked for time to study the new charge and decide the next line of action.
Olanipekun said his client would need an adjournment to enable him to
study the new charge before he could come back to take his plea.
He also said that Tinubu would challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.
The prosecutor, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), however disagreed. He insisted that Tinubu must take his plea before he could challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.
Cases before the tribunal are normally prosecuted by lawyers from the chambers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). Izinyon teamed up with another SAN, Mr. Chukwuma Ekomaru, to prosecute the case.
Chairman of the tribunal, Umar Danladi, agreed with Tinubu’s lawyers that he should be given time to study the charge and file his objection.
Danladi said that in the interest of fair hearing, Tinubu ought not to take his plea yesterday morning in view of the fact that the charges were served on him in the morning and had not been given any opportunity to study it.
The tribunal consequently adjourned the trial to October 26 for continuation.
Speaking with journalists after coming out of the tribunal, Tinubu denied ever operating any foreign account while in office as governor.
Many chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) including the governors of Oyo and Osun States, Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola respectively, were in the court in solidarity with Tinubu.
He also said that Tinubu would challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.
The prosecutor, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), however disagreed. He insisted that Tinubu must take his plea before he could challenge the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.
Cases before the tribunal are normally prosecuted by lawyers from the chambers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). Izinyon teamed up with another SAN, Mr. Chukwuma Ekomaru, to prosecute the case.
Chairman of the tribunal, Umar Danladi, agreed with Tinubu’s lawyers that he should be given time to study the charge and file his objection.
Danladi said that in the interest of fair hearing, Tinubu ought not to take his plea yesterday morning in view of the fact that the charges were served on him in the morning and had not been given any opportunity to study it.
The tribunal consequently adjourned the trial to October 26 for continuation.
Speaking with journalists after coming out of the tribunal, Tinubu denied ever operating any foreign account while in office as governor.
Many chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) including the governors of Oyo and Osun States, Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola respectively, were in the court in solidarity with Tinubu.
The police and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) had a hard time controlling the crowd.
With many of his supporters carrying placards, Tinubu succeeded in turning the trial into a political rally.
Other SANs who appeared with Olanipekun for Tinubu were Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Charles Udoswan, Niyi Akintola, Dele Belgore, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Kabiru Turaki, Ifedayo Adedipe, Deji Sasegbo and Dele Adesina. Dr. Muiz Banire was also at the tribunal.
With many of his supporters carrying placards, Tinubu succeeded in turning the trial into a political rally.
Other SANs who appeared with Olanipekun for Tinubu were Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Charles Udoswan, Niyi Akintola, Dele Belgore, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Kabiru Turaki, Ifedayo Adedipe, Deji Sasegbo and Dele Adesina. Dr. Muiz Banire was also at the tribunal.
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