By Toheeb Omotayo
Bukola Saraki, the 8th Nigerian Senate President, has celebrated the judgement of the supreme court which overturned the 2018 decision of the Federal High Court over an alleged N3.5 billion fraud case against Melrose General Services Ltd.
Saraki’s celebration message was contained in a statement he personally signed on Saturday June 8, 2024.
It would be recalled that, the 8th Nigerian Senate President, accused former president Muhammadu Buhari of trying to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to frame him up of a fraud to weaken his tenure.
The EFCC had accused Melrose General Services Limited of obtaining N1.4bn from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) through false claims.
The Commission secured the final forfeiture of the said N1.4bn through the Federal High Court, but being dissatisfied with the court ruling, Melrose General Services approached the Supreme Court for redress.
At the resumed session held on 14th March 2024, counsel to the appellant, Kehinde Ogunwumiju informed the apex court of a motion seeking to set aside of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
He premised his argument on the fact that the money involved in the forfeiture suit is not a proceed of any unlawful activity, but payment for a contractual and consultancy agreement.
He therefore prayed that the decision of the high court on the forfeiture be reversed.
However, the EFCC Counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, informed the court of his counter-affidavit dated 11th March 2024, praying the court to adopt his brief of argument and dismiss the appeal of the appellant.
Celebrating the verdict, Saraki said: “Yesterday’s ruling by the Supreme Court, which overturned the 2018 decision of the Federal High Court regarding an alleged N3.5 billion fraud case against Melrose General Services Ltd., has brought a long and arduous legal ordeal to a just and welcome conclusion”.
“As much as this case was between the EFCC and Melrose General Services Limited, it was a proxy war, with Melrose serving as a mere pawn in a larger scheme to victimize and persecute me. It was always clear that this case, just like my CCT case, was a thinly veiled attempt by the Buhari administration to use the EFCC for political gain. The allegations of “Paris Club Fraud” were nothing more than a smokescreen designed to weaken my office as President of the Senate and tarnish my reputation through spurious accusations similar to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, from which I was also acquitted”, he added.
He further noted that the case was a politically motivated attack, stressing that it was not based on corruption, but on the very foundations of democracy.
“As I said at the CCT, this case too was a politically motivated attack, not on corruption, but on the very foundations of our democracy. It aimed to undermine the independence of the judiciary, the separation of powers, and checks and balances-principles I have always fiercely defended. They hoped that by targeting me, they could sow discord within the legislature, turning colleagues against each other, ultimately weakening the institution of the Senate, and silencing dissenting voices”.
“I am profoundly grateful to Almighty Allah, the ultimate arbiter of justice, for guiding the Supreme Court to this righteous verdict. I commend the judiciary for their meticulous examination of the evidence and adherence to due process, which has ensured that justice prevailed. I also thank Melrose’s legal team for their tireless efforts in seeing this case to a just conclusion”.
“Moving forward, we all have to canvass for fairness in the fight against corruption. We should see this verdict as an inspiration to champion the rule of law, promote democracy and its institutions, and tolerate divergent views”.
