EKITI GOV ELECTION: Court Orders Arrest Of Former Ekiti PDP Secretary On Perjury

A magistrate Court in Ekiti State has ordered the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command to arrest the former State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Temitope Aluko for the purpose of investigation and prosecution over allegation of perjury.

The Chief Magistrate, Adesoji Adegboye gave the order on Wednesday, upon a Motion Ex-parte number MAD/10cm/2016, filed by the Ekiti State Government against Mr Aluko and the State Commissioner of Police, pursuant to Section 117 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, law of Ekiti State 2012, Section 79 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2014 and Section 23 (D) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law 2014.

In the motion, which was filed and moved by the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, an order of the court was sought to issue warrant of arrest against Mr Aluko to be executed by the State Commissioner of Police for the purpose of committing him (Aluko) for trial for the offence of perjury.

The order was given in respect of Aluko’s statements that the election of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State in which he testified as a witness under oath as free, fair and without any form of violence or vices but subsequently, publicly changed his positions on the same election thereby discrediting the decisions of the court.

In the affidavit filed in support of the motion ex-parte by Special Assistant to the State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, he stated that Mr Aluko, who was a witness before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sworn to a Statement on Oath on August 4, 2014 wherein he stated that the Election was not only free and fair, but devoid of violence, thuggery, hooliganism, snatching of ballot boxes, and related forms of electoral disorderliness.

He therefore submitted that all Aluko said on Channels Television on Sunday, January 31, 2016 were inconsistent to his evidence on oath before the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal particularly over a matter that the apex court in the land had adjudicated upon which was also tantamount to contempt to the court.

The letter reads; “I hereby apply to your office that Dr Temitope Kolawole Aluko be arrested and sued for perjury in view of the interview recently granted on Channels Television by 8:00pm on Sunday 31 January, 2016.

“The said Dr Temitope Kolawole Aluko now recanted the evidence he gave in the cause of the hearing of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition as a star witness even up to the Supreme Court. The Certified True Copy of the State on Oath, evidence of Dr. Temitope Kolawole Aluko in Court on the 12/11/14 and Nigerian Tribune and The Punch newspapers of Monday, 01/02/2016 that reported the interview granted are hereto attached.

“It is to be noted that if this act (Perjury) is not looked into, it will definitely defile the cause of justice and consequently rubbish the judicial proceedings.”

Olayinka added that Mr Aluko tendered and adopted his Statement on Oath on November 12, 2014 and further gave evidence under cross examination.

Issuing the warrant of arrest again

st Mr Aluko, Chief Magistrate Adegboye said since the court had the power to grant the order and it will serve the interest of justice, the State Commissioner of Police should arrest Aluko for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting him accordingly.