Our correspondent JAMES IGAH reports that one of charges brought against the Senate Principal Officers claims that SALISU MAIKASUWA, BENEDICT EFETURI, Senator BUKOLA SARAKI and Senator IKE EKWEREMADU conspired and went ahead to forge the Senate Standing Order on 9th of June, 2015, at the National Assembly Complex.
The court papers claim that the accused persons acted with fraudulent intent to forge the Senate Standing Order of 2011, thereby causing it to be believed as the genuine Standing Order of 2015 and circulated same for use during the inauguration of the 8th Senate of the National Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that after the charges were read and the plea of the accused persons taken, the case was stood down temporarily by Justice YUSUF HALIRU to enable parties file their applications.
After the court reconvened on the matter; the Senate President, his Deputy and the other accused persons were granted bail by the court.
In his ruling; Justice YUSUF HALIRU declared that the essence of bail is to guarantee the liberty of an accused person who is deemed innocent until proven guilty.
The Judge also said to ensure attendance to the trial, the accused persons should produce two sureties who must be Nigerians and owners of landed property within Asokoro, Wuse Two and Garki areas of Abuja.
The court also ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje Prison pending when they fulfill the bail condition.
He thereafter adjourned the matter to 11th July for commencement of trial.
Meanwhile; a group of protesters earlier today stormed the premises of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the arraignment of the two highest ranking Senators and the other two accused persons.
The protesters, who were mobilized under the umbrella of what they call Good Governance Advocates, demanded an end to executive interference in the legislature.
The protesters complained that the legal action against the Principal Officers of the Senate amounts to persecution and a distraction for the National Assembly.
