CCT tries Speaker, clerk, 3 others

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) says the Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, and four other serving and former staff of the assembly will be arraigned in the court on May 22.

Ibraheem Al-Hassan, the tribunal’s Head, Press & Public Relations, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
Those to be charged alongside the speaker are a former clerk of the assembly, Aaron Timiye, and a former accountant, Thomas Tamaraodubo.

Others are Owudogu Edward, the serving clerk of the assembly and Koroye Stephen, serving accountant of the assembly.

Mr Al-Hassan said the alleged offences bordered on gross misconduct and abuse of office.

“Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal Justice Danladi Y. Umar, has approved May 22 for the commencement of trial against serving speaker and four others.

“The offences are alleged abused of office against Benson, the Speaker 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 April 30, jointly signed by the operatives of Code of Conduct Bureau: Musa Usman and Fatima Ahmed,” he said.

The charge was brought to the tribunal pursuant to Section 24 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

According to the charge, the alleged actions of the defendants are contrary to paragraph 9 of the fifth schedule, part 1 of the 1999.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offences are punishable under paragraph 18 (1) and (2) of the same constitution, and Sections 13 and 23 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004.