‘Provide Evidence Or Face Wrath Of Law’- Appeal Court Justices Slam Elisha Abbo Over Bribery Claims

The Justices of the Court of Appeal have asked a former Adamawa North senator, Elisha Abbo, to provide evidence to establish bribery claims he made against them.

Recall that the former Senator accused the President of the Court of Appeal and others of taking bribes to rule against him in the judgement that ousted him from the Senate.

The Senator said he had written petitions to President Bola Tinubu and the National Judicial Council to investigate the bribery allegations.

Reacting to the allegations in a statement issued by a life bencher, Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN), the appeal court justices asked Abbo to apologise to the Appeal Court President, Monica Dongban-Mensem; Justice Chioma Iheme, and the entire judiciary for his unproven allegations.

The statement added that if the Senator insisted that he would not provide evidence to support his claims, he would face legal consequences for his actions.

The statement reads in part: “On the 1st February, 2024, Senator Elisha Abbo, in a widely publicised Press Conference, made very wild and unsubstantiated allegations against the President of the Court of Appeal, the Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, the Honourable Justice Chioma Iheme Nwosu (A Justice of the Supreme Court designate) and Honourable Judges of the various Tribunals and Courts as well as Justices of the Court of Appeal.

“Senator Abbo in his reckless and unconscionable Press Briefing described the President of the Court of Appeal as a cash-and-carry Judge. He alleged that Judges now send their children and agents to go around asking for bribes.

“It is instructive to note at this stage that up till this moment, Senator Abbo has not produced any iota of evidence to substantiate his weighty allegations.

“We take very strong exceptions to the criminal blackmail deliberately fabricated and calculated to impugn on the integrity and reputation of our revered and hardworking Judges and Justices by characters like Senator Abbo.

“May I remind Senator Abbo that when he lost the case that removed him from the Senate, he openly accused the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON of being the architect of his misfortune?

“When he was confronted with the task to prove the allegation, he promptly went on his knees and apologised profusely to Senator Akpabio and retracted the allegations.

“It is sad and most unfortunate that this Senator who shot into the limelight on account of his misconduct in a Sex Toy Shop in Abuja would have the criminal courage and effrontery to malign, denigrate and make such invidious imputations against our Justices and judiciary simply because he lost a case.

“I wish to state most categorically that it is totally unacceptable, morally reprehensible and legally culpable for a person with Senator Abbo’s moral credentials and profound deficits in character content to embark on such character assassination against our Justices who have sacrificially built their good reputations over the years.

“This brand of nonsense and unprovoked attacks against our Judicial Officers and the Judiciary must stop.

“I challenge Senator Abbo to promptly produce verifiable evidence to substantiate his allegations or be ready to face the consequences in law.”