Nigerian govt drags Senators Oduah, Uzodinma to court over failure to declare assets

The Federal Government has filed criminal charges afainst Senators Stella Oduah and Hope Uzodinma at two separate Federal High Courts in Abuja.

The cases were filed by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP).

The senators, who are from Anambra and Imo States respectively and still serving, were accused of failure to declare their assets.

The case against Oduah was assigned to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, while that of Senator Uzodinma, a factional gubernatorial flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, is before Justice Babatunde Quadri.

The two charges against Oduah reads: “That you, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah (F) on or about 29th day of March, 2018 being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: refused 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 S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.

“That you, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah (F) on or about 29th day of March 2018 being a pubic officer with the National Assembly Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court committed an offence to wit: neglected 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 S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”

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The two count charge against Uzodinma, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/107/2018, reads in part: “That you, Senator Hope Uzodinma (M) on or about the 5th day of March 2018, being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: refused 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 S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”

“That you Senator Hope Uzodmma (M) on or about 5th day of March 2018 being a public officer that the National Assembly Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: neglected 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 S. 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”

The filing of criminal charges against Oduah and Uzodinma is coming after the SPIP filed similar ones against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Albert Bassey Allan, who represents Akwa Ibom North East.

 

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