In the fresh report, the police indicted the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Dr Ike Ekweremadu.
The Special Investigation Panel headed by retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ali Amodu revealed that the former Clerk of National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, could not have committed the alleged offence without the connivance of the two principal officers.
The Special Investigation Panel (SIP) was set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to investigate high-profile cases.
The Federal Government had, on October 6, 2016, withdrawn the charges of criminal conspiracy relating to the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, filed against the Senate President and his deputy at an Abuja High Court.
The government action was because it found out the investigation was inconclusive and the evidence was not strong enough to sustain a diligent prosecution of the accused persons then.
Following this discovery, the Ministry of Justice filed an application to amend the charges.
Following the amendment of the charges, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), directed the police to conduct fresh investigations into the case.
Saraki, Ekweremadu may face conspiracy charge again
A top police operative, who confided in Punch on Saturday, said the SIP had addressed the loopholes the AGF identified in the former report.
He said, “The police have concluded investigations into the case and submitted the report to the NPCC. This was done about a month ago.”
Giving an insight into the report, a top source at the Force Headquarters said, “Conspiracy is a very wide offence and Maikasuwa couldn’t have done what he did without the connivance of Saraki and Ekweremadu. “There is no doubt about it; they were the beneficiaries and they have to be joined in the case.”
When asked if the panel made any recommendation for the prosecution of the beneficiaries of the forgery, he stated, “There is no need to make any recommendation to prosecute them because the investigation did not exonerate them.”
Another source added, “The SIP, through painstaking efforts, was able to identify who distributed the printed copies of the Senate Standing Orders, 2015, to senators-elect and it also obtained the complete Hansard of June 9 and 24, 2015, which indicated what transpired on the floor of the Senate as well as other relevant evidence. These were issues the former probe did not resolve.
“It is now up to the government to decide whether Saraki and Ekweremadu should be re-arraigned or only Maikasuwa and Efeturi would carry the [cross].”
