CCT to arraign Bayelsa Speaker, four other officials over abuse of office

Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) will on May 22, arraign the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, and four others for alleged abuse of Office.

This was revealed in a statement on Tuesday by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Al-Hassan.

Others to be arraigned included the Clerk of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Owudogu Edward, the Accountant, Koroye A. Stephen, as well as former Clerk and Accountant of the Assembly, Mr Aaron W. Timiye and Mr Thomas Tamaraodubo, respectively.

According to the CTT the arraignment of the Bayelsa officials follows a correspondence received from the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, on April 30.
The defendants were accused of abusing their respective offices, contrary to paragraph 9 of the Fifth schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Their action was said to be punishable under Paragraph 18 (1) and (2) of the Constitution, and as incorporated under section 13 and 23 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, CAP C15 LFN 2004.

CCT’s statement reads: “Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal Justice Danladi Y. Umar, has approved 22nd May, 2019 for the commencement of trial against serving Speaker of Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Hon. Friday Kombowei Benson and four others for alleged abuse of office.

“The offences filed was on four count charge, on alleged abused of office against Hon Friday Kombowei Benson, the Speaker Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Clerk of Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Mr Aaron W. Timiye (retired) and Accountant, Bayelsa state House of Assembly Mr Thomas Tamaraodubo (retired).

“Others are Owudogu Edward serving Clerk, Bayelsa state House of Assembly and Mr Koroye A. Stephen, serving Accountant, Bayelsa state House of Assembly.

“This was contained in a correspondent from Code of Conduct Bureau, addressed to Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal to commence trial, dated 30th day of April 2019, jointly signed by the operatives of Code of Conduct Bureau: Musa Ibrahim Usman and Fatima Kere Ahmed.

“The application reads; pursuant to section 24 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, I hereby apply to the Tribunal for the commencement of trial for the offence of Abuse of Office contrary to paragraph 9 of the fifth schedule, part 1 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and punishable under paragraph 18 (1) and (2) of the same constitution, and as incorporated under section 13 and 23 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004”.