Presidential panel sends Mark, Oduah, Uzodinma, others’ name to CCB for probe

The Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) has transferred eight cases involving some politically exposed people to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) for probe.

Chairman of panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, made this known on Wednesday.

He alleged that the concerned individuals acquired property beyond their legitimate earnings and also suppressed facts concerning these properties in their assets declaration forms deposited with the CCB.

Former Senate President David Mark; Senator Stella Oduah; Senator Hope Uzodinma; Senator Peter Nwaoboshi; Senator Albert Bassey and a director in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Ibrahim Musa Tumsah, were among those identified by the panel

He added that charges had been filed against them at the Federal High Court, Abuja including most of those named in the cases transferred to the CCB on the same issue of non-assets declaration.

Mark has a suit pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja in which he is challenging the activities of the panel, particularly the SPIP’s claim that he unlawfully acquired his property in Abuja.

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The charge the panel filed against Senator Oduah was assigned to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, but no further steps have been taken by the panel since it filed the charge last year.

The charge against Sen.Uzodimna is before Justice Okon Abang. But the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) recently took over the prosecution of the case from the SPIP.

The charge against Sen. Bassey is before Justice John Tsoho.

Tumsah was, last year, arraigned along with his brother before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on the same charge of non-declaration of assets.

By Babatunde Alao…

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