A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has committed a member of the House of Representatives, Amobi Godwin Ogar, to Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, over allegations bordering on criminal defamation and false declaration.
Justice Yusuf Halilu issued the committal order shortly after the federal lawmaker representing Abia State was arrested and brought before the court.
According to the committal order, dated June 24 and sighted by our correspondent on Thursday, the federal legislator will remain in custody until July 6, when the case is scheduled to resume.
The court document, titled Warrant of Commitment to Prison, indicated that the federal lawmaker is standing trial in Charge No. CR/650/2024. It reads in part:
“The Officer in Charge of the prison at Kuje, whereas the above-named person has been arrested and brought before me, accused of the offences of criminal defamation and false declaration, you are hereby authorised and required to receive him and detain him in custody until further order; provided that, if no further order has been made as to his disposal before July 6, 2026, you shall deliver him to a police officer to bring him before me with this warrant for an order as to his disposal.”
It will be recalled that the federal government, on July 31, 2024, filed a five-count criminal charge against the Abia lawmaker bordering on alleged criminal defamation and false declaration.
In count one, the lawmaker was alleged to have, sometime in May 2023, made a false declaration in an affidavit
