We also invited the lawyers to the victim and the commissioner of police in the FCT, they told us about their caution on the contempt of the Court.
The Nigerian Senate has given the panel investigating Senator Elisha Abbo for assaulting a woman in a sex toy shop extra seven days to conclude its investigation.
The panel has also been asked to submit the conclusion of its investigation on or before the expiration of the seven days.
The Senate had earlier set up a committee to probe the senator who was seen in a video assaulting a nursing mother.
The committee was given two weeks to do its findings and submit its report.
At the expiration of the initial two weeks today, head of the panel, Senator Sam Egwu, informed the upper chamber of the National Assembly that the people involved refused to appear before it because the matter was before the court. [story_link align="left"]71539[/story_link]
He said the victim, the owner of the shop, and the police stated that their appearance before the panel to speak on the matter could amount to subjudice.
Egwu said, “We set out to do the investigation as mandated by the senate and we have invited all those involved. In the course of the investigation, most of those invited appeared but said the matter is before the court, fearing the contempt of the Court.
“We invited our colleague, Sen. Ishiaku Abbo and he appeared before the panel but he told us that he was arrested and detained for 24 hours by the police.
“We also invited the lawyers to the victim and the commissioner of police in the FCT, they told us about their caution on the contempt of the Court.
“As a committee, we hereby request for additional time of one week to further work and report back to this senate." [story_link align="right"]71499[/story_link]
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, frowned on the feedback of Senator Egwu stating that the panel was investigating an action of one of its member not the criminality of the action.
He asked the panel to go ahead with its finding, adding that the investigation could not be stopped because the matter is in court.
He said, “We are not investigating criminal activities; we are investigating an issue related to conduct. The senator who raised the point of order which led to the constitution of this committee did so under privilege.
“He did this as a senator and on our behalf as an institution, so you can go ahead and have additional time. It is not our concern. We are not investigating criminal activities. We are investigating misconduct. The senate is not investigating what the police are investigating."
"We can give you more time but we can’t stop our activities because the matter is in court."[story_link align="left"]71372[/story_link]