Court Restraints Kwara Assembly From Investigating Lawmaker’s Certificate Forgery

A Kwara High Court in llorin on Tuesday restrained the state House of Assembly from investigating the allegations of certificate forgery, fraud and issuance of dud cheque against a member, Saheed Popoola. Popoola (APC), representing Ojomu-Balogun Constituency in Offa Local Government area, was the only member who did not defect to the PDP with other 23 lawmakers during last Wednesday’s plenary session. Justice T.S Umar, in a motion exparte filed by Salman Jawondo, counsel to Popoola, ordered the Assembly not to engage in any act that could deny the lawmaker his privileges. Umar held that the legislator was democratically elected by the people of Balogun-Ojomu in Offa LGA as their representative for a period of four years on the ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC). The judge ordered the Principal Officers and Standing Committees of the Assembly not to take any action on the allegations until the determination of the case before the court. The case was adjourned until Aug.15 for mention. The Kwara House of Assembly had on July 31 directed its committees on Public Petition and Justice to investigate allegations of fraud levelled against Popoola. The Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, gave the directive after the House received three petitions on the allegation of certificate forgery and issuance of dud cheques against Popoola during the plenary session.]]>