A high court in Kwara has fixed July 22 for the arraignment of Bukola Saraki, former senate president, after dismissing his preliminary objection challenging its jurisdiction to hear a criminal defamation charge filed against him by the state government.
In a ruling on Friday, M.O. Folorunso, the presiding judge,
held that the court has territorial jurisdiction to entertain the case and
dismissed the seven preliminary objections raised by the defence.
The judge also declined the prosecution’s application for a
bench warrant against Saraki over his absence from court.
The criminal charge stems from a social media post published
by Saraki on April 17, in which he allegedly claimed that AbdulRahman
AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara, did not complete secondary school.
According to the one-count charge, the state government
alleged that the publication was false, insulting and capable of causing a
breach of the public peace, contrary to section 399 of the Kwara State Penal
Code.
At the previous sitting, the prosecution applied for a bench
warrant against the former senate president after he failed to appear for
arraignment.
However, the defence challenged the competence of the
charge, arguing that the Kwara state high court lacked jurisdiction to
entertain the case.
The defence also questioned the service of court processes
on the former senate president.
In his ruling on Friday, the judge dismissed the objections
and directed that the matter proceed to arraignment on July 22.
In a statement issued after the proceedings, Saraki’s media
office said Jimoh Mumini, his lead counsel, was unable to attend the court
because he was indisposed.
The former senate president said he has instructed his
lawyers to appeal the ruling on jurisdiction before the next adjourned date,
insisting that the issue should be determined before the substantive case
proceeds.
Saraki also said he remained confident in the judiciary and
urged his supporters to remain peaceful while the legal process continues.
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