Justice Abdul Kafarati of the federal high
court, Abuja, has withdrawn himself
from the fundamental rights suit filed by
Senate President Bukola Saraki against
the Federal Government to quash the
charges of false declaration of assets
brought against him at the Code of
Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The Justice elucidated on the matter
stating that his integrity had been called
into question in the matter, and he could
therefore not continue with the matter.
Kafarati read on a report in an online
medium that accused him of corruption to
the tune of N2bn. This has led him to
believe that whatever ruling he made on
the matter would be called into question.
“It is only in this country that people can
wake up and start calling people names,”
he said.
“In the circumstance, I disqualify myself
from this case. I will hereby send the case
file to the chief judge for re-assignment to
another judge.”
In February, after the judgment of the
supreme court dismissing Saraki’s appeal
to stop his trial, his lawyer Ajibola Oloyede
filed the lawsuit asking the federal high
court to stop his trial and to disqualify the
chairman of the CCT, who is presiding over
the trial.
The senate president couched his prayers
in the violation of his rights to fair hearing
by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB),
which he said did not invite him for
explanation before it filed charges against
him at the CCT.
Kafarati had fixed Tuesday for judgment
on the case, but instead of delivering the
judgment, he announced his withdrawal
from the case. This will delay the case
longer as a replacement must now be
found to take over the case.
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