JUST IN: Saraki, Ekweremadu to be arraigned on June 27

According to recent reports, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, his deputy, will be arraigned before an Abuja high court on June 27 for alleged forgery.

Although, the duo have not been served with the court summons, Yusuf Haliru, justice of the high court, on Tuesday,  ordered that they be served through substituted means.

The summons will now be pasted on the notice board of the national assembly.

Saraki, Ekweremadu, Salisu Maikasuwa, former clerk of the national assembly, and Benedict Efeturi, his deputy, are facing charges of alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery of the senate standing rule‎s, 2015, brought against them by the federal government.

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.”‎

There were reports that the senate president and his deputy would be arraigned on Tuesday, but that did not happen.

Saraki is at present at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) where is trial for alleged false declaration of assets continues.