Skip to main content

Saraki replies coalition over court order blocking Sahara Reporters’ bank accounts


Senate President Bukola Saraki has reacted to criticisms by a coalition of media and civil society organisations, CSOs, over a court order which blocked bank accounts linked to an online media platform, Sahara Reporters, about four months ago.
The group, Coalition for Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection (CPFWP) in a joint statement signed by 15 of its members on Wednesday accused Mr. Saraki of abusing the judicial process through the freezing of the bank accounts of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation — ”a completely different legal entity” from Sahara Reporters against whom Mr. Saraki secured a N4 billion judgment from a Kwara State high court in a defamation suit.
It also condemned delays in the judicial process to reverse the order.
In his response in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesperson, Mr. Saraki asked signatories of the coalition to ”get more acquainted with judicial proceedings over the matter before taking a position as their current position was not hinged on verifiable facts.”
“We would like to believe that the signatories do not have the full information surrounding the libel suit,” Mr. Olaniyonu said.
Mr. Saraki said he had more evidence to show that both Sahara Reporters and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation operated interchangeably as one entity in various transactions.
“Sahara Reporters and the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation are one and the same. It is a known fact that advert payments for Sahara Reporters have on occasion been paid into the bank accounts of the foundation on the instructions of the publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
“We have records that show that Sowore has used the two accounts interchangeably over time, particularly for nefarious purposes. We urge the coalition to ascertain the true position from Sowore, even as we stand ready to disprove any denials on his part with evidence”, the statement read.
Mr. Saraki also denied stalling the judicial process, blaming Sahara Reporters instead for the delay.
“To reiterate, if there is any delay in this particular case, it was caused by Sahara Reporters and its lawyers. If they were not avoiding service, they were busy raising technicalities or requesting unnecessary adjournments.
“Saraki has diligently pursued this case, because his interest is for its expeditious determination, so that he can access the N4 billion judgement debt in order to use it for the purposes earlier announced. It is therefore not in Dr. Saraki’s interest for the matter to be delayed.
“As to the alleged harassment and molestation of Sahara Reporters’ supporters on court premises, the evidence indicates the contrary. It is on record, from news reports published by mediums edited by some of the signatories to the Coalition Statement, that Sowore imported cultists and unsavoury elements from other states to disturb the peace and create chaos on the court premises, all in a desperate bid to show that he has support. The Police merely came in to prevent a breakdown of law and order. We had no hand in the Police decision to intervene or the manner of its execution.
“Furthermore, the freezing of the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation account was a decision of the court. We must also point out that it is now part of an ongoing appeal process and therefore sub-judice. We question whether the coalition statement does not also amount to interference in the judicial process, given that the case is ongoing. We are of the opinion that all parties concerned should allow the law to take its course.”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My quest for change made me team up with Buhari — Amaechi

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says that his pursuit for change made him to leave his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). Amaechi made the disclosure at the Future Awards Africa held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos last Saturday. He said that he would have done otherwise by staying in PDP and fight for the change, instead, there was a need to cross over to APC because of his belief in President Muhammadu Buhari. “I moved from PDP to APC because I am tired of what is happening in the party, I have the option to stay because of my position as the Chairman of the Governors then. “I can use my position to fight them (PDP) and get what I want because I believe Nigeria was not going in the right direction by then. “My attention and belief shifted to Buhari which was the viable alternative, I believe in the change mantra because it is the only way to improve on what is on ground. “He has not...

My people are being killed on daily basis – Emir of Birnin-Gwari q

The Emir of Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna State, Malam Jibril Zubairu Mai-Gwari II has cried out that people are being killed in his Emirate on daily basis. He therefore asked the Federal Government to intensify efforts at getting rid of the bandits terrorizing the area. The Emir made the call at his palace on Tuesday evening while receiving the Minister of Interior, Lt. General AbdulRahman Danbazzau (rtd) and Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations, Habila Joshak who both visited Birnin Gwari. The Minister and DIG were is Birnin Gwari on assessment of the security situation of the area, where killings and kidnap of innocent citizens have become the order of the day. It would be recalled that, 11 soldiers on Operation ‘Ayem Akpatuma’ were killed in the area two weeks ago, while nine persons, including a bride were kidnapped last Sunday after killing of two persons. Speaking on the situation, the Emir said, armed bandits terrorizing his domain hibernate in Zamfara and come t...

Man bags 14 years imprisonment for raping 13-year-old IDP

A middle aged man, Yahaya Umar was yesterday sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by a Borno State High Court for raping a 13-year-old Hajja Ibrahim, an Internally Displaced Person (IDP). According to the charge read by the clerk of the court, the convict, Yahaya Umar lured the victim from Abaganaram IDPs camp in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to one Rainbow Hotel in same Maiduguri city and had forceful sexual intercourse with her. The charge reads, “That you Yahaya Umar (male), on or about 21st September 2016 at about 1900 hours at railway quarters Maiduguri , within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed rape on one Hajja Ibrahim of IDPs camp Abaganaram primary school , in that you forcefully had sexual intercourse with her and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 283 of the penal code laws of Borno State.” In order to prove its case, the prosecution brought five witnesses to testify and some exhibits were tendered in evidence. Coun...