The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) will have to wait till the conclusion of the Appeal filed at the Supreme Court by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki for it to continue its trial.
This followed the suspension of proceedings at the CCT by the Supreme Court By the panel of Supreme Court judges led by Justice John Fabiyi.
No date was given for the adjournment but the apex court asked the lawyer to the federal government to file its briefs within 7 days and also gave Saraki’s attorney seven days to respond.
Justice Fabiyi said a new date will be communicated to the parties as soon as all briefs are filed.
Earlier on, the Prosecutor told the Supreme Court that he will sign an undertaking, refraining him from doing anything at the tribunal, pending the determination of the suit.
The prosecutor said this while urging the court not to grant a stay of proceedings.
He also asked for accelerated hearing, as not doing so will give room for an accused person to continue to delay his trial.
The Supreme Court position today meant that the November 19, 2015, hearing at the CCT would have to wait until the Supreme Court rules on the matter.
It would be recalled that the Senate President had appealed to the Supreme Court against the October 30 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the competence of the charges instituted against him and the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him.
Some lawyers who appeared for Saraki at the tribunal on November 5, stormed out of the courtroom in protest against a ruling of the CCT led by Justice Danladi Umar, rejecting their request to adjourn the trial indefinitely because of the pending appeal before the Supreme Court.
The tribunal chairman had adjourned till November 19 the trial, to enable Saraki to engage new lawyers.
Comments are closed.