The outgoing United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle is to present video evidence against the three members of the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Ossai Committee assigned to probe the alleged sex misconduct involving the trio will begin open public hearing.
The three members according to the letter from the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria to the Speaker are:
1. Mohammed Garba Gololo (APC, Bauchi);
2. Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and,
3. Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue).
Entwistle had petitioned the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara alleging that the actions of the three lawmakers at the International Visitor Leadership Programme in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from 7th to 13th April, 2016, brought disrepute to the parliament.
That is because, according to him, the three solicited for sex from prostitutes and grabbing hotel housekeeper in a bid to rape.
Apart from the outgoing that is expected at
For the open public hearing, the Committee had invited:
– US Ambassador, James Entwistle
– Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema,
– Committee for the Defence of Human Rights,
– the three accused lawmakers,
– the National Human Rights Commission,
– as well as the other seven members that attended the leadership programme.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep Ossai is reported to have said that the committee decided not to invite the management of the hotel the alleged sex misconduct took place.
That is because it believed that the Ambassador would come with all the necessary video evidence where the accused committed the action.
Besides, he said that the Committee did not carry out any secret investigation because the members involved in the allegation had demanded public investigative hearing for Nigerians to see their culpability or otherwise.
Speaker, Dogara, mandated the Ossai-led Ethics Committee alongside the Foreign Affairs after the House resolution at plenary on Tuesday, 21st June.
He asked them to investigate the culpability of the three members involved in the alleged sex misconduct.
He described the assignment as a very serious one where many people had already made their conclusion that the three accused lawmakers were wrong.
“The standard in the US is that an accused is assumed innocent until proven guilty and that is the same standard in Nigeria.
“Anyone who has evidence can now see the committee” Dogara said
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