The Federal Government yesterday filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging decision of the Appeal Court, which quashed the conviction of former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Godsday Orubebeý, over allegation of false assets declaration.
The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), sitting in Abuja had earlier convicted the former minister. The tribunal, in a judgment held that Orubebe failed to declare a property at Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja, in 2007.
The tribunal consequently ordered that the property found to be undeclared be forfeited to the Federal Government. Orubebe appealed the judgment asking Appeal Court to set aside his conviction.
Unhappy with the appeal court’s decision, FG has filed two grounds of appeal praying the apex court to set aside the decision of the Appeal Court and affirm the decision of the tribunal on Orubebe’s conviction.
The FG said that Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja, was acquired by Orubebe on April 10, 2011, while he was serving as a minister and that he did not declare the property in his exit form submitted June 28, 2011, adding that there was no evidence to prove that the property was a gift from the FG.
The certificate of occupancy of Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja, according to the FG still bears Orubebe’s name.
In ground two, the FG stated that the lower court erred in law, when it held that the tribunal was wrong to convict Orubebe for false asset declaration when he had sold the property he was accused of not declaring.
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