5 weeks after the inauguration of two judicial commissions of inquiry to look into the actions of ex-Governor Samuel Ortom whereas in workplace, Arewa PUNCH investigations reveal that they’re now set to quiz him and his aides.
Our correspondent experiences that the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, had on February 26, 2024, inaugurated the 2 judicial commissions of inquiry to look into the actions of his predecessor, Ortom.
The inaugurated probe panels are the Judicial Fee of Inquiry into the Revenue and Expenditure of Benue State Authorities from Might 29, 2015, to Might 28, 2023, whereas the opposite one is the Judicial Fee of Inquiry into the Sale/Lease of Authorities Belongings, Corporations and Markets (each state and native authorities owned markets), in addition to moribund corporations from or earlier than Might 28, 2015 to Might 28, 2023.
The 2 commissions of Inquiry comprise 16 members with their chairmen drawn from the South-West and North-East.
They’re retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo from South-West who will chair the previous and Justice Appolos Idi (retd) from Gombe, North-East will preside over the latter fee.
Arewa PUNCH additional findings point out that tongues are already wagging over the trigger(s) of the delay within the take-off of the probe panels.
When our correspondent contacted the state Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim, on Monday, he dismissed the concept of any potential obstacles that may be hindering the sitting of the panel.
Mnyim assured the residents that the panels would start to take a seat from subsequent week.
“There aren’t any obstacles in any respect. The purpose is that the panels are ready to start sitting after Easter, so by subsequent week, they’ll begin sitting,” the Legal professional Common of the state instructed Arewa PUNCH.
The 2 judicial commissions of inquiry are, amongst others, to establish the earnings of the Benue State Authorities from Might 28, 2023, 2015, to Might 29, 2023.
They may also look into the expenditure and utilisation of the Benue State earnings from 29 of Might, 2015, to day 28 of Might, 2023.
Additionally, they’re to establish all of the Benue State financial institution accounts and study the propriety or in any other case of the transactions within the accounts from day 29 of Might, 2015 to the day 28 of Might, 2023.
Additional extra, they’ll establish the varied loans taken by the Benue State Authorities from Might 29, 2015 to Might 28, 2023 and verify the appropriateness of the utilisation, curiosity cost on the loans and the potential abuses thereof.
The probe panels will equally establish the mortgage(s) given out by the Benue State Authorities, the alleged waiver, and the potential abuses thereof.
Lastly, the panels will establish the particular interventions, together with however not restricted to the Bailout Funds, Paris Membership Refunds obtained by the Benue State Authorities from Might 29, 2015 to Might 28, 2023 and the applying thereof.
Although the rapid previous governor, Samuel Ortom, via his media aide, Terver Akase had acknowledged that he was able to face the panels and in addition urged all his aides to organize to seem earlier than the 2 panels.
