All parties involved in the raging N458m fraud allegation involving JPross and the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso will know the next step to follow after today’s judgment by Justice Florence Duruohaigwe.
Apparently aware that members of the Imo State House of Assembly are desirous of removing him from office based on a probe report, Agbaso went to court to stop the impeachment process stating that he was not giving fair hearing and House Members action illegal.
At the resumed hearing, Justice Duruohaigwe after listening to counsel representing the various parties involved in the case where they adopted their briefs, reserved today for judgment on the matter.
To prove that the Deputy Governor was innocent of the allegation and in no way took bribe from JPross, the Counsel Ikwueto, (SAN) tendered Sir Agbaso’s call logs and text messages from MTN before the court. The evidence was to contradict Joseph Dina of JPross claim that Agbaso allegedly sent bank account numbers to him to pay in the controversial N458m. also the controversial account number and details of the company that owns the account the money was paid into have also been secured and would soon be made public.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr Soronnadi Njoku who represented Imo State House of Assembly brought an Assistant Registrar of the High Court who testified that Agbaso’s lawyer did not swear the affidavit before him as expected for the affidavit to be authentic though it was stamped.
Both Soronnadi and Counsel to other parties, Niyi Akintola (SAN) submitted that the court lacks jurisdiction to stop impeachment process initiated by State House of Assembly. Citing several cases to buttress his point, Soronnadi also mentioned the case of former Deputy Governor Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia State who was impeached in similar circumstances to state that the court lacks jurisdiction to stop the impeachment.
Meanwhile, the judge has warned journalists not to misquote her decisions adding that she was quoted out of context by many newspaper houses who reported the case the last time the court sat.
Contrary to reports, Judge Duruohaigwe claimed she never gave any order or injunction stopping impeachment.
There are strong indications that the Deputy Governor will not appear for the maiden meeting with the 7-man panel raised by the Chief Judge to further probe the matter according to the constitution. Feelers from the Deputy Governor’s camp showed that Sir Agbaso will not appear despite the public notice and substituted summon served him through the media. It was gathered that the Deputy Governor is hinging on the fact that since the matter is before the court it would amount to subjudice to appear before the recently constituted panel scheduled to hold today.
The embattled Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso is expected to appear before the 7man Judicial Panel inaugurated by the Chief Judge of Imo State, to look into the alleged N458m bribery scam leveled against him.
According to a court summons from the State High Court Owerri, dated 25th March, 2013, the Deputy Governor is expected to appear before the panel which will seat at the Hall of the Parliament Building, Council of Traditional Rulers of Imo State, opposite Concorde Hotel Owerri today, and the time is 10am prompt.
However, whether the Deputy Governor will appear before the Panel or not is still a subject of conjecture, as information available to this Newspaper has it that the Bailiff was yet to see him, to serve the Deputy Governor the summons, hence the publication of the documents in Newspapers for the attention of Sir Jude Agbaso and his Lawyers.
