The senate on Tuesday, beats a retreat from further hearing the celebrated case of assault brought before it against the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar by an Abuja based security guard, Clement Sargwat and his lawyers.
The senate through its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition, headed by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, stylishly washed off its hands from the case after Umar appeared to have clipped its wings with an originating summon last week challenging the jurisdiction of the Senate and its Committee, to continue to entertain the assault case brought before it; asking the Court to determine whether or not the upper legislative chamber was by so doing not usurping the powers of the Police and the Court.
When the matter came up on Tuesday, Umar was conspicuously absent and for the first time failed to send any lawyer to represent him; an indication that he was done with the committee as he awaits his day in court.
Presenting the Court summon, Akinyelure announced the decision of his committee to set aside the case, pending the outcome of the case in court that the Senate has the power to hear the case of assault brought before it against Umar.
The position of the Senate Panel did not sit quite well with the lawyer to the Petitioner, Timizing Venjiris, who told the Akinyelure’s panel, that Danladi Umar has nothing restraining it from going on with its investigation.
He said that what was served the Senate was a mere originating summon, which he said was not an Order of any court stopping the Senate from concluding its investigation into the matter.
The Senate panel then rephrased saying it cannot continue to hear a one-sided case without hearing Umar’s side of the story. It consequently set aside the case Sine Die
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi.
