Lagos-based lawyer and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has described the invitation extended to the Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman, Justice Danla-di Umar, by the Senate Ethics Committee as invalid.
The soft-spoken lawyer in an open letter to the Senate, noted that apart from the fact that the committee lacked the powers to extend such invitation to the judge, there was a pending case at the High Court sitting in Abuja, which rendered such invitation invalid.
As stated by him, “It is necessary to point out that the Ethics Committee of the Senate lacks the power to summon the Tribunal Chairman to testify in respect of a criminal investigation. More so, the allegation being examined by the Ethics Committee of the Senate is the subject matter of a pending criminal case.”
Falana in the letter added that the invitation at a time the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was before the court was a clear indication that “the leadership of the Senate has resolved to frustrate the trial.”
He advised them to withdraw the summons immediately.
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