Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Justice has insisted that the arraignment of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, before Justice Yusuf Halilu of an Abuja High Court sitting in Utako, Abuja, for alleged forgery will take place this Tuesday.
A lawyer in the justice ministry who was not authorized to speak on the case told our correspondent that the trial would go ahead.
Charged along the two presiding officers are the immediate former Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Mr. Bennedict Efeturi.
They were charged with criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, 2015.
The charge was filed one year after the police concluded investigation into allegation that the Senate Rules were forged to pave the way for Saraki and others to emerge as leaders of the Senate.
The investigative report had since been submitted to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation who suddenly had now chosen to act on it.
In the affidavit filed on June 10, 2016, the investigative police officer (IPO), swore that the investigation into the case had been concluded.
The charges read: “That you, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, Benedict Efeturi, Dr. Olubukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, on or about, the 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, conspired amongst yourselves to forge the Senate Standing Order, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed the offence of conspiracy, punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Law.
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