The House of Representatives yesterday exonerated three of its members from allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against them by the erstwhile United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Chairman of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, Ossai Ossai, told the House that the ambassador had, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, admitted authorship of the June 9, 2016 letter addressed to the speaker.
In the letter, it was stated that Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex, while Gbillah and Ikon allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit for prostitutes.”
He said there was no irrefutable evidence in form of CCTV/Video footage of the scene, report of any form of investigation indicting the accused person or written statements of complaint the housekeeper indicting the accused person.
“Although there was information that the alleged complainant-housekeeper had declined to testify anywhere, in respect of the allegation, but assuming the complainant had declined to testify or commit herself to recorded evidence, the vital particulars of the crime such as complainant’s name, date and time of the crime should not have been suppressed as was done in this matter.”
He submitted that: “It was well established that the accusation that Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex, was not proved.
“It was also established that the accusation that Gbillah and Ikon allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit for prostitutes was equally not proved.
“That the withdrawal and revocation of the travel visas of the accused members on June 15, 2016, was misconceived and a manifest error of a conclusion of guilt.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Chairman of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, Ossai Ossai, told the House that the ambassador had, through the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, admitted authorship of the June 9, 2016 letter addressed to the speaker.
In the letter, it was stated that Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex, while Gbillah and Ikon allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit for prostitutes.”
He said there was no irrefutable evidence in form of CCTV/Video footage of the scene, report of any form of investigation indicting the accused person or written statements of complaint the housekeeper indicting the accused person.
“Although there was information that the alleged complainant-housekeeper had declined to testify anywhere, in respect of the allegation, but assuming the complainant had declined to testify or commit herself to recorded evidence, the vital particulars of the crime such as complainant’s name, date and time of the crime should not have been suppressed as was done in this matter.”
He submitted that: “It was well established that the accusation that Gololo allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex, was not proved.
“It was also established that the accusation that Gbillah and Ikon allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit for prostitutes was equally not proved.
“That the withdrawal and revocation of the travel visas of the accused members on June 15, 2016, was misconceived and a manifest error of a conclusion of guilt.