BREAKING: FG charges Ekweremadu, Bassey Albert with refusal to declare assets
The Federal Government has charged the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Senator Bassey Akpan, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District in Akwa Ibom State, with offences bordering on their alleged refusal and negligence to declare their assets to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.
On Wednesday, Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja where two separate sets of charges were instituted against the senators, ordered that the charges and other accompanying papers be served on the two of them through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The judge, after granting the orders for service through substituted means, fixed October 22 for the next hearing date in respect of Ekweremadu’s case and November 19 for Akpan’s.
The Okoi Obono-Obla-led SPIPRPP had, on behalf of the Federal Government, filed the two separate criminal suits containing two counts each against the senators.
It filed the criminal suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/62/2018 against Ekweremadu on May 11, 2018, while it instituted the one marked FHC/ABJ/CR/88/2018 against Akpan on June 13, 2018.
The charge against Ekweremadu has been assigned to Justice Binta Nyako, while the one against Akpan is assigned to Justice John Tsoho.
Both judges, on Wednesday, granted leave to the prosecution to serve the charges and other accompanying court documents on the defendants through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The order for substituted service was granted by both judges after listening to prosecution lawyer, Celsus Ukpong, who complained of difficulty in effecting personal service on the defendants.
Justice Nyako adjourned to October 22 for arraignment, while Justice Tsoho adjourned to November 19 for arraignment.
The two count-charge against Ekweremadu reads:
” That you, Ike Ekweremadu ‘M’ ‘on or about 28th day of March, 2018 being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja within the jurisdisction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: refuse to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon the notice to declare your assets in the manner prescribed by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property contrary and punishable under Section 3 (3)(1)a of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act 2004.
The charge against Akpan reads:
“That you, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan ‘M’ on or about 12th day of April, 2018 being public officers with the National Assembly within the jurisdiction of this honourable court ,committed an offence to wit; refusal to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.
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