Offa Bank Robbery: Court orders Saraki to face criminal complaint

Senate President Bukola Saraki has been ordered by a Grade I Area Court in Aco Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, to face a criminal complaint initiated against him by a private lawyer in respect of the Offa bank robbery the justice ministry initially cleared him from.

The complaint was initiated Oluwatosin Ojaomo, an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist, and Saraki is the sole respondent to the complaint.

The activist wants Saraki to be summoned for allegedly ignoring police invitation to answer to an allegation involving the investigation of the suspects of the Offa robbery.

Ojaomo’s lawyer told the court on Monday that the IGP had given assurance that the necessary court papers would be served on the Senate president.

The police had initially said their investigations linked Saraki to the kingpin of the robbery operation.

The criminal complaint marked, CR/196/2018, was said to have been initiated by Ojaomo under Section 89(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

According to the complaint, Saraki’s alleged refusal to honour the invitation amounted to obstructing a criminal investigation and disobeying a public officer carrying out a lawful responsibility.

This alleged conduct, it said, was an offence punishable under Section 136 and 149 of the Penal Code Law.

Justice Abdullahi Garuba Ogbede, had, on September 10 , ordered the issuance of a summons on Idris following Saraki’s absence from court.

On Monday, the complainant’s lawyer, Mr E. S. Marcus, said he was informed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Legal Unit of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, that the IGP had directed the legal unit to ensure the prompt service of the court papers on Saraki before the next hearing date of October 3, 2018.