Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
BREAKING: Former Imo Deputy Governor ‘vindicated’ eight years after Impeachment
By Modupe Shodeinde
An Owerri High Court, has annulled the impeachment of Jude Agbaso as Deputy Governor of Imo State.
The State House of Assembly had impeached Agbaso as the deputy governor of the state on March 28, 2013, after it was alleged that he collected N458m and red label drink as bribes from a construction firm, J- pros.
After the impeachment, Agbaso also approached the court to nullify the impeachment and reinstate him back to his seat, but could not achieve that before the end of his tenure.
He continued seeking redress in the courts until on February 1, 2021 when parties in the matter finally reached terms of settlement, which document was filed on February 2, 2021 before the Imo State High Court.
According to the counsel to Agbaso, Chijioke Emeka, his client and the defendants which included the state governor, the State House of Assembly and the chief Judge of the State also requested that the terms of settlement be used as judgement in court.
Delivering the judgment on Monday, the trial judge, I. S Opara, said that he was giving the consent judgment since the parties had opted to settle óut of court.
While speaking to journalists after the court session, Agbaso’s counsel disclosed that the consent judgment had nullified the impeachment of his client on March 28, 2013, as the deputy governor of the State.
According to him, the judgment had restored Agbaso’s entitlements as a former deputy governor of the State and had been legally fit to hold public positions again.
He said that the parties had to “shift grounds” in order to reach truce on the terms of settlements.
Agbaso, who was in court, expressed his elation at being “vindicated” eight years after he was accused of being involved in fraud.
He accused former Governor Okorocha of intentionally framing him up “just to get me out of the way.”
Agbaso said “it has been a torturous eight years but I thank the good people of Imo state who Committed the disrupt mandate to me in 2011.I thank the government of Senator Hope Uzodinma for its bold stand which hastened the resolution.
