Prof Charles Dokubo
A Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Tuesday summoned Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Office, to appear before it on Jan. 21, over alleged fraud committed by the office.
Also summoned before the court presided over by Justice Awogboro Abimbola, are Mr Isaac Ityohuma and Mr Aroloye Brown, Director of Finance and Accounts, and Head of Reintegration in the office, respectively.
The defendants were sued by 75 ex-militants under Benuwolo Camp who embraced the presidential amnesty in 2010 in the second phase of the scheme.
The judge noted that she had on Sept. 26 summoned Dokubo, also Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta, over alleged diversion of stipends meant for the 75 former militants.
The judge ordered counsel to the coordinator of amnesty office, Pere Ikuetemi, to ensure that his client appeared in court on the next adjourned date for continuation of hearing.
The 75 ex-militants are demanding payment of their outstanding N65,000 monthly stipends from January 2011 to May 2019, amounting to N492 million.
The group urged the court to declare as unlawful, the alleged fraudulent manipulation of the 75 slots allotted to Benuwolo Camp by officials of amnesty office in connivance with some other ex-militants.
They had in their statements of claim filed by their counsel, Mr Richard Turner, urged the court to order the office to revert the 75 slots to the camp and halt further diversion of the slots.
Meanwhile, the judge dismissed an application by two other ex-militants to join in the suit.
The applicants are Messrs Aso Tambo and Stephen Ebisintei.
They filed the application through their counsel, Mr Stanley Damabide.
The judge ruled that she found no merit in it as the applicants were not a necessary part in matter.
“I find no merit in the application, as the rule requires inclusion of only those whose inclusion will ensure dispensation of justice.
“The application is hereby dismissed,” she said. (NAN)
