The Federal Government has filed two charges against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (Akwa Ibom North-East) for allegedly failing to declare some of their assets.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

The charges marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/62/2018 (for Ekweremadu) and FHC/ABJ/CR/88/2018 (for Akpan) were filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja on behalf of the Federal Government by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP).

The charge against Ekweremadu has been assigned to Justice Binta Nyako, while the one against Akpan is assigned to Justice John Tsoho. Both judges, on Wednesday, granted leave to the prosecution to serve the charges and other accompanying court documents on the defendants through the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The order for substituted service was granted by both judges after listening to prosecution lawyer, Celsus Ukpong, who complained of difficulty in effecting personal service on the defendants.

Justice Nyako adjourned to October 22 for arraignment, while Justice Tsoho adjourned to November 19 for arraignment.

The two count-charge against Ekweremadu reads:

” That you, Ike Ekweremadu ‘M’ ‘on or about 28th day of March, 2018 being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja within the jurisdisction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: refuse to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon the notice to declare your assets in the manner prescribed by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property contrary and punishable under Section 3 (3)(1)a of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act 2004.

“That you, Ike Ekweremadu ‘M’ on or about 28th day of March, 2018 being a public officer with the National Assembly Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court, committed an offence to wit: neglect to declare your assets without. reasonable excuse and upon the notice to declare your assets in the manner prescribed by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property contrary and punishable under Section 3(3)(1)3 of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act 2004.”

The charge against Akpan reads:

“That you, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan ‘M’ on or about 12th day of April, 2018 being public officers with the National Assembly within the jurisdiction of this honourable court ,committed an offence to wit; refusal to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (3) (1) (a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.

“That you, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan ‘M’ on or about 12th day of April, 2018 being public officers with the National Assembly within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, committed an offence to wit: neglect to declare your assets without reasonable excuse and upon notice to declare your assets before the Special presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Abuja contrary to and punishable under Section 3(3)(1)(a) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act 2004.”