The House of Representatives denies allegations that it is stalling the probe of alleged bribe demands by the lawmaker
The House of Representatives Ethics Committee, on Tuesday, denied that the bribery allegation against the former chairman of the House Capital Market Committee, Herman Hembe, had been swept under the carpet.
Hembe was accused by the former Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Arunma Oteh, of asking the commission for a N44 million bribe and receiving sponsorship funding for a capital market forum in to Dominican Republic, but failing to attend same.
Hembe had in turn accused Oteh of offering the committee a separate N30 million bribe.
The lawmaker and his deputy, Emeka Azubogu, are facing charges file by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a court.
Hembe was removed as the committee chairman in the interim, while the matter was referred to the House Ethics Committee, under an interim chairman, Samson Osagie, for investigation in March 2012.
The committee has made no report or comment on its work since then on an inquiry that was to last two weeks.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, Osagie, who is the Minority Leader, said the committee?s work had been stalled by the arraignment of the two lawmakers.
Osagie said it will amount to ?double jeopardy? for the committee to continue investigating Hembe and Azubogu as both are presently answering to questions before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The committee will ?definitely? do its job when the court might have finished its assignment on the case, Osagie claimed.
Asked how realistic it will be for the committee to press on with such probe after a court might have made pronouncement on him, the lawmaker said the two inquiries were investigating on separate terms of reference.
?What the House will probe Hembe for is different from what the court is currently handling,? he said.
