Nigerian Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has continually been berated for several corruption allegation and misappropriation of funds during his tenure as the Senate president of the national assembly and the governor of Kwara state
Nigeria’s former Senate President, Saraki has won a major legal battle against Nigeria’s main anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Saraki who was also the former governor of Kwara state in under investigation for alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds during his tenure as the Senate President of the National Assembly.
However, in a recent verdict, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos cancelled an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the final forfeiture of two properties belonging to Bukola Saraki, the immediate past senate president.
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The court had in October 2019, ordered the temporary forfeiture of the two properties located at 17A, McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti Osa local government area of Lagos states as the commission alleged that while serving as governor of Kwara state, Saraki withdrew over N12 billion cash from the account of the government and paid same into his accounts domiciled in Access and Zenith Banks through one of his personal assistants, Abdul Adama.
He reportedly purchased the houses with the money.
While delivering ruling yesterday, Mohammed Liman, the judge, held that the EFCC has failed to prove that the properties were acquired with proceeds of stolen funds.
Liman held that the documentary evidence put before the court by the EFCC in support of the final forfeiture order was conflicting and insufficient. He said no link was established showing that Kwara state government funds were used to repay Saraki’s loan.
Rather, the judge concluded that the houses were purchased with a credit facility granted to the former senate president by the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).
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