By Ojo Gbenga, News/comments, January 29, 2020.
ABUJA-A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bwari, Abuja has laid to rest the allegation levelled against the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, on a case of forgery and conviction in the United States of America. It could be recalled that a group of Civil Society Organisations spearheaded by one Solomon Adodo, had in time past petitioned the DSP, and later filed a suit in the court. The suit which demanded for the resignation of the Deputy Senate President was dismissed on a ground of; lacking in evidence and in merit, and that the petitioners failed woefully to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, that Omo-Agege was really convicted in the US years back.
Meanwhile, in a judgment on Wednesday (Today), Justice Othman Musa, held that the suit was a mere waste of the court’s time as there was no evidence that Omo-Agege was ever convicted by any court of law nor was he under any criminal sentence.
Justice Musa, therefore ordered that the plaintiff to pay without delay a sum of N1million naira as demage to Omo-Agege. The Judge further said the disciplinary proceedings involving Omo-Agege in the State of California in the US, even if it ended in punitive action against the 1st defendant (Omo-Agege) could not be elevated to criminal proceedings, convicting and sentencing as provided under Section 66 (1) and (2) of the Constitution. “The conviction recognised by the Constitution, and which could prevent one from holding public office in the country for 10 years is the conviction and sentencing entered by a Nigerian court, not a court of foreign jurisdiction” he added.
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