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CCT dismisses charges against ex-Bayelsa Speaker, four others
The Code of Conduct Tribunal on Tuesday dismissed charges of abuse of office brought against a former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Friday Komboyein, and four others.
The three-man panel of the CCT headed by Danladi Umar took the decision following the inability of the prosecution to produce its witnesses for trial.
Other defendants were former clerks of the House – Mr. Aaron Timiye, Mr. Thomas Tamaraodubo (former accountant), Owudogu Edward (the incumbent Clerk) and Mr. Koroye Stephen (the incumbent accountant).
The Code of Conduct Bureau had on November 27, 2019, arraigned the ex-speaker and others following a petition sent by a former member of the Bayelsa Assembly, Israel Goli, claiming that the defendants unjustifiably refused to pay him some allowances paid to other members of the House since May 2015.
The defence counsel, Diriyai Dambo (SAN), had earlier requested that the matter be struck out on the grounds that the dispute leading to the institution of the case had been amicably resolved.
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He said the tribunal that the necessary payments had been made to the petitioner, and that he had since withdrawn his petition sent to CCB.
But the tribunal overruled the request because the prosecution has insisted on the continuation of the case.
However, on Tuesday, Umar struck out the charges, saying the prosecution had not been diligent in the prosecution of the case.
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