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Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to investigate the allegation of bribery levelled against a judge by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Yemi Akinwonmi.
The call was contained in a letter dated June 4, 2020 and addressed to the IGP, by Samson Bamgbose and Adeleke Shittu, the Chairman and Secretary of Ogun PDP respectively.
In the letter, a copy obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, the duo urged the IGP to institute a probe on the $250,000 bribery allegation levelled against the judge by Akinwonmi.
The also said if the party leader failed to substantiate his claim, he should be charged to court “for perjury and making false allegation.”
Akinwonmi had, in a letter dated June 3, 2020, said the PDP has lost confidence in Justice Abubakar Shittu handling a case involving the state chapter of the party over alleged $250,000 bribe against the judge.
He also asked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja to reassign the case to another judge, amid the renewed factional crisis between groups loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu and Oladipupo Adebutu in the Ogun state chapter of PDP.
Bamgbose and Shittu said the case with suit number “FHC/AB/CS/44/2020,” pending before the Abeokuta Division of the Federal High Court, was filed by them on behalf of the state executive of the PDP.
The duo, who denied the bribery allegation, argued that Akinwonmi’s antecedents do not qualify him to question another person’s credibility.
They, therefore, urged the IGP to use his good offices to investigate the matter and allow the law to take its course.
“Our attention has been drawn to a petition written in respect of the suit by the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi, that we bribed the Honourable Justice Abubakar Shittu, with the sum of $250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars), to do our bidding in the suit pending before the honourable trial judge.
“We deny the allegation in its entirety, and wish to respectfully urge you to use your good offices to investigate this matter and allow the law to take its course.
“Facts have emerged that the Honourable Justice Shittu has been the target of Akinwonmi and his sponsors since 2019 when they did not succeed in their attempt to bribe him.
“According to one Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, a former associate of an ex-member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, who is also very close to Akinwonmi, in the build to the March 9, 2019 governorship election, Adebutu and Akinwonmi made unsuccessful attempts to bribe the Honourable Justice Shittu through a certain Toyin who works in the appeal section of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, but the upright jurist refused to see them or their emissaries.
“It is clear that the Honourable Justice Shittu became a marked person since they could not compromise him in 2019. Only God know if they have not tried and failed again; hence, the resort to cheap blackmail, outright fabrications and lies.
“It might also interest you to know that Akinwonmi’s antecedent speaks for itself. As a matter of fact, he and two others are standing trial before the Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged N179.8million fraud.
“In the light of the above, we wish to respectfully urge you to use your good offices to invite Akinwonmi to substantiate his outlandish claim that is lacking in details and facts. Should he fail to do so, Akinwonmi should be charged to court for perjury and making false allegation against us and the honourable jurist.
“We believe that this is the way to go so as to serve as a test case and deterrent to those in the habit of making false and unsubstantiated allegations against law-abiding citizens and public officials, including members of the Nigeria Police Force because they think nothing will happen.” The petition reads in part.
