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Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The panel inaugurated by the Chief Judge of Kogi State to try allegations of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, has said it would not accept any document submitted after the panel has commenced its hearing on the case
Chairman of the five man panel, John Bayesia, gave the warning, yesterday, when counsel to the state government submitted bank receipts as part of the evidence that the deputy governor was actually paid his salaries and entitlements contrary to his claims.
The chairman said it was prejudice to submit documents that were not originally presented to the panel saying it was capable of wasting the panel’ s time. The Chairman warn all the counsels to restrict themselves to evidence that was before the panel.
The House of Assembly had moved an impeachment notice on the deputy governor over ‘ gross misconduct’.
Achuba has had a running battle with Governor Bello, and recently he alleged that the governor had refused to pay his salaries and allowances since 2017.
Those who were granted the opportunity to testify at the panel hearing, yesterday, included, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Folashade Ayoade-Arike; Acting Director (Treasury), Office of the Accountant General, Mr. Elijah Ebinemi, who presented evidence of salaries/allowances payment, to the deputy governor; and Saliu Hassan Itopa, Cashier, Office of the Deputy Governor.
The SSG under cross examination by lead counsel to Achuba, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), alleged that the state deputy governor laws persistently absent from duty that the lathe showed up at the weekly state executive council meeting, was in August 2018.
