The false assets declaration trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, resumed at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Tuesday with the invitation of the first defence witness.
The witness, Dr. Ademola Adebo, an ex-commissioner with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), told the court that he was familiar with assets declaration process.
Adebo said at a time he was engaged by CCB to simplify the CCB Assets Declaration Form and also created a portal so that public officers would not have to visit CCB to declare assets.
He identified some assets declaration forms filled by Saraki at the commencement and conclusion of his tenure as Governor in Kwara State in 2007 and 2011.
The witness, led in evidence by Paul Usoro (SAN), read from the form where Saraki declared that he acquired Nos: 17A and 17B Macdonald, Ikoyi, Lagos, through sales of rice and sugar commodities.
In another form, the witness read where Saraki also said he bought the same houses through bank loan from the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB).
At the conclusion of his evidence-in-chief, the prosecution led by Rotimi Jacbos (SAN), was about to commence the cross-examining of the witness when tribunal’s Chairman, Danladi Umar, announced a brief suspension of proceedings.
He said the trial would resume in 30 minutes.