File: Saraki sitting in the dock

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and two others will be arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court on Tuesday over charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, 2015.

It was gathered that the Senate President and Deputy Senate President will be arraigned before Justice Yusuf Halilu of FCT High Court sitting in Jabi on two counts charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy.

The charges of were filed against the presiding officers of the Senate about a week ago.

The offence is punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act; and offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

Ekweremadu

The two count 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.

“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, with fraudulent intent, forged the Senate Standing Order 2011 (as amended), causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order, 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when you knew that the said Order was not made in compliance with the procedure for amendment of the Senate Order. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”

It will be recalled that after election of the presiding officers of the Senate, some Senators who are members of Senate Unity Forum (SUF) had petitioned the police, alleging forgery of the Senate Standing Rules 2015 that produced Saraki and his deputy, Ekweremadu respectively.

Following the petition, the Federal Government, through Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami had directed the Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase to investigate the petition.

The Police had in the course of the investigation invited some senators who testified to the forgery of the Standing Orders.

Saraki and Ekweremadu however refused to honour police invitation during the investigations of the case.

On Sunday, Saraki and Ekweremadu also said they have not been invited by the Police or informed of their pending arraignment in court over the forgery charges in spite of media reports on it.

The Senate has also described the impeding trial of the two presiding officers as a way of cowing the lawmakers from doing their jobs.

This magazine however gathered that the Police will serve Saraki and Ekweremadu with court summons through the Clerk of the National Assembly on Monday to compel their appearance in court.