Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
A Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, on Saturday night, dismissed a case, involving certificate forgery, brought against the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha, by Chief David Kente, for lack of evidence.
Justice Bala Usman, in his ruling said the plaintiff and his counsel failed to provide concrete evidence to back the allegation against the APC governorship candidate as required by both INEC and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Usman further held that, haven’t carefully listened to all parties involved in the matter, the plaintiff lacks prove of evidence to support his case and consequently strike out the case.
Reacting to the judgement, Barrister Dangana Tukura, Counsel to Sen. Bwacha, described the judgement as a landmark.
On his part, Barrister Boniface Iorkumbur, Counsel to Sen Bwacha, hailed the position of the court as it was a true demonstration of fair justice in the eye of the law. Iorkumbur commended the judge for his courage and patience in listening to all parties as well as delivering a sound judgement.
He further said that the inability of the plaintiff to call witnesses especially those institutions where the 3rd respondent had passed through shows that they didn’t have a case against the respondent.
Meanwhile, Barr. John Yuwa, Counsel to Chief Kente expressed that he and his team of lawyers would find time to study the judgement and advise their client on the next line of action as the judgement was in brief.
SUMMIT Post recalls that Chief
Kente had approached the Federal High court Jalingo through his Counsel, John Yuwa, alleged that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Taraba, forged some of the documents he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that qualified him to contest the Primary election of the party.
The plaintiff accused the 3rd respondent of criminal presentation of false information to the electoral empire and the APC.
It is further reports that APC, INEC, and Bwacha were first, second and third respondents in the suit.