Arraignment of Saraki, Ekweremadu for alleged forgery of senate standing rules slated for June 27th

Justice Yusuf Haliru of an Abuja High Court has said that the arraignment of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing rule in 2015, will hold on Monday June 27th. Their arraignment was stalled this morning because they had both not been served their court summons.

Justice Haliru has ordered that their court summons be pasted on the notice board of the national assembly and also be sent to them through other means.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi are accused of forging the senate standing rules which helped them emerge senate leaders in June last year. Count one of the charge reads:

“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 Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable 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.” Count two reads: “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 Arm Zone, Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable 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 the procedure for amendment of the Senate Order, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law.”‎