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Conservative party readmits MP who sexually harassed staff member

An MP has been readmitted to the Conservative party, despite having been found to have sexually harassed a member of staff.

Rob Roberts had his party membership suspended for 12 weeks and was also banned from the House of Commons for six weeks, after an independent panel found he made repeated and unwanted sexual advances towards someone who worked in his office and used “his position as his employer to place him under pressure to accede”.

On Monday, Roberts regained his party membership, but still has the whip withdrawn, meaning he sits as an independent in parliament. However, the MP for Delyn in north Wales still sits on the government’s side of the Commons green benches, and votes in line with the Conservative whip.

A Conservative party spokesperson confirmed Roberts’ readmission and that the whip remained withdrawn.

Although Roberts served his suspension from parliament, he avoided being subject to a recall petition. This is usually automatically triggered when an MP is suspended for more than 10 days. However, because Roberts appealed against the initial verdict by the standards commissioner, it emerged that his punishment was not covered by the existing recall legislation because the case was then judged by a separate body known as an “independent expert panel”.

The failure of Conservative headquarters “to stop Roberts’ readmission means that the withdrawal of his whip is in name only”, a senior Tory staffer told the Guardian. They added: “This sends a worrying signal to parliamentary staff members who are still dealing with predatory and abusive behaviour on a daily basis.”

The Labour party chair, Anneliese Dodds, said his readmission to the Tories was scandalous, and criticised the government for voting down a motion to change the law so the punishment of a recall petition could be applied retrospectively.

“Rob Roberts should have resigned as an MP the moment he was suspended from parliament for sexual misconduct,” Dodds said. That he had now returned to the Conservative party showed it had let him off the hook, she added.

“Just last week, the government voted against allowing Roberts’ constituents to choose whether he is the right person to represent them, and now they are choosing to readmit him as a member of their party. Yet again, the Conservative party is acting like there’s one rule for their MPs and another rule for everyone else.”

The leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has called on Roberts to do the “honourable” thing and step down as an MP, but argued that retrospective punishment would go against the principle that there should be no imposition of a sanction “which was not available at the time when a given case was determined”.

The investigators’ report into Roberts said that he had accepted that “aspects of his behaviour” towards a staff member were “inappropriate” and had offered to apologise but that he “rejected the categorisation of his conduct as ‘sexual’, preferring the term ‘romantic’”.

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Those found guilty of corruption should not enjoy pardon —AGF

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has stated that those found guilty of corruption should not be granted state pardons. He also advised law enforcement agencies to avoid shoddy investigations, urging them to have all necessary facts before summoning individuals for questioning.

The AGF made these remarks at a roundtable organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for state Attorneys-General in Abuja on Monday. “I will suggest in our next constitution review exercise that we expunge those found guilty of corruption from benefiting from powers of ‘Prerogative of Mercy’ to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.

In a statement by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Assistant to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Fagbemi emphasized the importance of cooperation from all stakeholders, particularly the Attorneys-General, in the fight against corruption. He urged them to avoid nepotism, political witch-hunting, rivalry, and bigotry in their efforts to fight corruption merely to please their governors.

The minister further stated that there should be no justification for rationalizing corruption or other crimes. He advised that legal opinions on cases should be based strictly on facts, as is the practice in advanced countries, adding, “We should not give in to public sentiments. In Nigeria, we are polarised along political lines.”

The AGF also urged participants and anti-graft agencies to conduct thorough investigations before arresting suspects to prevent unnecessary media trials. “Let us be thorough and take our time before inviting someone for questioning. Don’t do a shoddy job and be quick to say we have caught a big fish…You will catch a big fish. If it is two or three big fish you are able to get in a year and you are thorough, it is alright,” he stated.

Additionally, Fagbemi advised against filing exaggerated or bogus charges against defendants to create public frenzy. He said, “Nobody wants a 50-count charge…make it five or six and be sure. Make sure you get him (suspect) in.”

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Tinubu condoles with families of victims, Niger govt over traffic petrol tanker explosion

President Bola Tinubu has sent heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Niger State on the petrol tanker explosion on the Bida-Agaie-Lapai- road on Sunday in Niger State, which claimed the lives of 48 people and livestock.

According to the Niger Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), many people were injured in the accident, which also involved a truck loaded with cattle and passengers.

President Tinubu commiserated with the families of the dead and injured victims. He also sympathised with the owners of shops affected by the tragedy.

He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

The President commended the federal and state emergency agencies for their swift response. He similarly commended the good-spirited Nigerians who mobilised to the incident scene to assist the victims.

He pledged continued support for efforts aimed at providing relief to those affected.

President Tinubu has directed relevant federal agencies in transportation and road infrastructure to redouble their efforts and work with state governments to enhance the safety and security of travellers and residents.

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Nigerian businessman Ogionwo charged for $300,000 scam in Oil deal

The Inspector General of Police, through legal officer S.O. Ayodele from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, has filed a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretenses and theft against Nigerian businessman Ebi Otisaye Ogionwo.

In the charges presented before the Federal High Court in Lagos, Ayodele alleges that in 2022, Ogionwo fraudulently obtained $300,000 from Mr. Oluwatosin Adefila of Beltzemo Nigeria Limited. The funds were purportedly meant to finance an oil trading business, but this representation was false.

The charges against Ogionwo are in violation of Section 1 (1) (c) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006.

The two count charge as filed before the court

Count one:

That you, Ebi Otsaye Ogionwo “M” sometimes in 2022,in Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honorable Court, did by false pretence and with intent to defraud obtained the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars (S300,000:00) from one Mr. Oluwatosin Adefila of Boltzemo Nigeria Limited under the guise of using the said funds for financing Oil Trading Business, a representation you knew to be false and thereby committed an offer contrary to Section 1(1)(c) and punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fec,raud and other Related Offences Act 2006, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Count two:

That you Ebi Otsaye Ogionwo “M” on the same date, time and place, and in the aforementioned Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did steal the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) from one Mr.Oluwatosin Adefila of Belztzemo Nigeria Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Act,Cap C 38,Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004.

Meanwhile, 14th of October, 2024 has been fixed for the arraignment of the defendant.