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Court summons Gbajabiamila over perjury

…Fixes June 10 for arraignment

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The quest by Hon Femi Gbajabiamila to emerge Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th assembly became shaky on Tuesday as a Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Karshi, Abuja has summoned him to appear before it to answer to a criminal charge for allegedly lying under oath.

The charge is pursuant to Section 156 and 158 of the Penal Code of FCT

The court has consequently fixed June 10 for arraignment of the House member, who represents Surulere Constituency 1 and currently the House Leader. The 9th assembly is to be inaugurated on June 11.

The suit which was instituted by a political party, African People’s Party (APP), is seeking leave to serve the defendant the criminal summons by substituted means.

The complainant also prayed the court for an order to serve the summons on the defendant through the office of the clerk of the National Assembly.

Granting the order, the presiding judge, Justice Anas Isah Mohammed, held that “an order is hereby granted granting the complainant leave to serve the defendant the summons through the office of the clerk of the National Assembly.”

The complainant had brought a direct criminal complaint pursuant to Sections 88 and 89 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. The grouse of the complainant is that the defendant lied under oath in his INEC form 001 and thereby committed perjury.

In the said complaint, the complainant submitted that Rep. Gbajabiamila has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2003 and presently a member of the House of Representatives representing the people of Surulere 1, Federal Constituency.

“The defendant graduated from the Nigerian Law School and thereafter, proceeded to the United States of America whereas he was admitted to practice as attorney/solicitor and counsellor in the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Court of Appeal of Georgia under the name Femi Gbaja,” the applicant alleged.

The complainant contended that Rep. Gbajabiamila was convicted for fraud in the United States, but lied under oath when he denied in his INEC form that he has never been fined for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud or any offence imposed by a court or tribunal.

Also, the complainant who attached the defendant’s INEC form 001 also submitted that the defendant lied when he said that he has not in the last 10 years been convicted for an offence involving dishonesty.

Giving the background of the case in the US in a complaint letter attached to the suit, dated November 12, 2014 written to the State Bar of Georgia, by one Hanyator Barry wherein he submitted that “I was involved in a car accident on December 24, 2001 in Morland Avenue with my daughter and sister, Yaye T. Barry.

We hired a lawyer, Mr. Bleiberg together (Sister Andi). Later on, we fired him. I hired a lawyer Mr. Harry Malka, my sister Yaye T. Barry hired Mr. Femi Gbaja.

“Mr. Femi Gbaja took my case without my consent, for my cheque of $25.000.00 from the insurance company Vesta, P.O Box 23410 Nashville TN 31202 and without my consent cashed the cheque and left.

“I have never seen him, never talked to him or contacted him. One of his associate is Mr. Sam Phone 404_581_9511 try to convince me that I will receive my money. He was lying, I never received anything.”

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