LIVE UPDATES: Hearing in Saraki’s corruption trial continues

Good morning and thanks for joining us again as we continue to bring you crucial parts of the alleged false assets declaration trial of Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, from the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.

The live updates of cross examination of prosecution witness continue this morning with me, Samuel Ogundipe, and my colleague, Evelyn Okakwu, who’s been covering the trial from the beginning.

After a 12-day break, cross examination of prosecution witness resumed yesterday with defence counsel, Paul Ilokoro, sparring with star witness for the prosecution, Michael Wetkas.

The court is already packed with usual faces, prosecution and defence lawyers, journalists and the Senate President’s aides, legislative colleagues and supporters.

If you feel lost in the trial, click here, here and here to keep yourself up to date about major highlights of the trial since it started, report filed after yesterday’s hearing and live updates of yesterday’s proceeding, respectively.

By 10:00 a.m., we expect the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, to be seated.

The chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, has arrived.
By 10:46 a.m., he has immediately kicked off proceedings.

Defence and prosecution teams are introducing themselves.


11:07 am Prosecution lawyers are pleading with Mr. Umar to stay proceeding pending the arrival of their lead counsel, Rotimi Jacobs.






The chairman rejects the plea, but Kanu Agabi, lead counsel to the defence, says the chairman should grant the prayers of the prosecution, saying they could find themselves in such a situation.


Mr. Umar has adjourned the hearing for an hour to allow Mr. Jacobs arrive.

11:32 am Mr. Agabi has introduced 80 lawyers who are here to defend Mr. Saraki.
Mr. Agabi is Nigeria’s former attorney general and has legal experience spanning decades.

Mr. Jacobs has now arrived, but not early enough to stop the tribunal chairman proceeding with another case. The Senate President, Mr. Saraki, has stepped out of the courtroom to return in an hour when his case is slated to billed.