SENATOR NATASHA FILES PETITION AGAINST SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, SEEKS HIS DISBARMENT

The Senator representing Koggi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who filed a petition before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), seeking the disbarment of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition, Senator Nedamwem Imasuen.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, wants Imasuen removed as a lawyer.

The suspended senator accused the Senate Ethics Committee chairman of being indicted and disbarred by the New York Supreme Court on May 10, 2010, for fraud, misappropriation of client’s funds and failure to respond to disciplinary authorities.

She submitted a copy of the Justia New York Case Law 2010, with the title, Matter of Imasuen to back her petition.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also promised to lead further evidence from official records of the respondent’s disbarment at the trial of this case.

According to her, Imasuen was disbarred by the US court after a complaint was lodged against him by one Daphne Slyfield.

The senator said Slyfied was a client who paid substantial legal fees to him but was abandoned without legal recourse.

“The court found that the respondent had violated multiple professional rules, resulting in the permanent revocation of his legal license in the US.

“That following the respondent’s disbarment, he relocated to Nigeria, continued to present himself as a legal practitioner and pursued a career in politics, eventually securing a seat in the National Assembly as the senator representing Edo South Senatorial District.

“Despite this disbarment, which was hinged on unethical conduct, the respondent failed to disclose this sanction, both in the legal profession and political space, as a senator, and was eventually made the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, a position requiring unimpeachable integrity.

“That the Respondent did not remotely disclose his disbarment either in his Form EC9 – particulars of personal information submitted to INEC on oath at the time of aspiring for public office,” Akpoti-Uduaghan stated.