The trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, has been adjourned to January 17 to afford the prosecution enough time to assemble its witnesses.

At the resumption of trial on Wednesday, counsel to the federal government, Rotimi Jacobs, asked the Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar, to adjourn the proceedings to next week to enable him to call his next witness.

Jacobs informed the court that some of his witnesses were still in Lagos, and that they would need some time to arrive in Abuja.

He also prayed the tribunal to give a ruling that when the trial resumes, it would be held on a daily basis.

This followed after Jacobs had re-examined Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who was also the principal prosecution witness, on some of the statements he made when he was cross-examined by Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Usoro.

Responding to the motion, Umar granted that the trial be adjourned, but he rejected the prayer for a day-to-day trial.

The CCT Chairman said: “I’m going to adjourn this matter to next week, but it cannot go on from day to day. “We have other cases.”He, thereafter, adjourned the case to January 17.

‎Umar’s recent stance is contrary to the position he took in April 2016 when he said that the trial of the senate president would hold every work day.

Saraki is being tried for allegations of false asset declaration during his time as the Governor of Kwara State.

In his absence on Wednesday’s Senate plenary at the National Assembly, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, presided over the proceedings.