Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Senator Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s senate president
The riveting corruption and false asset declaration trial of Nigeria’s senate president, Bukola Saraki continued today, with First prosecution witness, Michael Weskat alleging that Saraki drew salaries from Kwara State, up till August 2015.
Saraki was the governor between May 2003 and May 2011. He was elected Senator for Kwara central in 2011.
Weskat told the Court that the EFCC wrote Access Bank to furnish it with the salary of the defendants to enable it know the income of defendants when he was governor of Kwara State.
“In the statement, the salary that was coming into the account was 254,412.55kobo as salary for July 2007.
“The salary paid for May 2011 was 291,124.00. The salary was paid on 3 June, 2011 as Kwara State govt May 2011 salary.
On 4 July, 2011, there was another payment June 2011 salary of N572,286,32 kobo.
“On 29 August 2011, there was another payment of another N744,002.22kobo.
“On 29 September, 2011, September salary and the sum is N740, On 27 October 2011, October salary for N1,165, 466.12.
“On the 7 Dec 2011, there was payment of the same amount.
“Then on 28 Dec 2011, there was payment of the same amount into the account as December pension.
“On 1 February, 2011, the same amount, but the narration is salary.
The witness said payment of salaries or pension into the account was stopped on 31 August, 2015.
“Does it mean the defendants was receiving salary after leaving office?” the Chairman of the Tribunal queried.
“That’s exactly what I am trying to prove. I know what I am doing,” Jacobs replied
The second tenure of Saraki as governor ended May 29, 2011 and he became a Senator also on 2011.
Earlier, Weskat, still being led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, said Saraki had declared in his Assets Declarations Forms that property no 15a and 15b were bought in March 2000 in the name of Carlisle Properties Ltd at the sum of N160 million.
Saraki claimed he was getting a rental income of N7 million per annum from the property. Saraki said he has substantial interests and controlling shares in Carlisle Property and Investment Limited in his Assets Declaration forms.
He however pointed out that EFCC investigations revealed that offer letter to buy the property from Presidential Implementation Committee on sale of Federal Government properties on 15a and 15b McDonald, to Ikoyi was issued 25 November, 2006.
He said the property was offered to Saraki for the sum of N165 million and the company that was offered the property was Tiny Tee Limited with address at No 30, Saka Tinubu Street, VI Lagos, the same address with Carlisle Property and Investment Ltd.
The offer, the prosecution witness said was accepted and paid for and the receipt dated 10 Jan 2008 was issued to Tiny Tee Ltd.
The defence tendered a reply to the EFCC inquiries on the property from the Presidential Committee in respect of 15 MacDonald road, Ikoyi as evidence. The Court has admitted the document as evidence.
On 17 and 17 A MacDonald, he said a letter from EFCC to the Implementation Committee shows that first offer was on 21, August, 2007 for N240.900,00m to Saraki in his personal name.
The Implementation Committee in its response to the inquiry also attached a receipt issued to Saraki dated 4 May, 2007 for 75 per cent payment and another receipt for the same date for N36, 135,000.00 which was 15 per cent payment for the same property. Another N24 million receipt was also attached.
The second offer was on also on 2006 for 17A Macdonald Road Ikoyi for N256,300m which was also issued in his personal name. The receipt for 100 per cent payment of the property dated 31 October, 2006.
How Saraki earned salaries from Kwara even as Senator
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