Even as the Nigerian Correctional Service officially debunked the reported testimony by a top official of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) by reaffirming that the suspension of its senior officials allegedly involved in the N15 million bribery allegations surrounding the embattled crossdresser Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, the parliament has been tasked to sanction the said official for allegedly lying under oath by claiming that he wasn’t suspended from duty as widely reported by the media.

According to the Rights group, the reaffirmation comes after Michael Anugwa, the deputy comptroller of corrections (DCC) in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kirikiri, Lagos State, downplayed his suspension.

HURIWA quoted the media as earlier reporting that Mr Anugwa, one of the suspended officers who appeared before a House of Representatives committee investigating the alleged N15 million bribe on Monday, tagged it “a mere social media suspension.”

During his appearance before the committee, he denied receiving an official suspension letter and argued that he wouldn’t have worn his uniform if he had been suspended. He shocked the lawmakers by saying he had not been officially suspended because he had not received a letter.

To be sure, a committee member, Patrick Umoh, asked again, “Are you on suspension?” Mr Anugwa responded, “I only saw it on the pages of the newspapers.”

HURIWA said that barely a day after the said suspended Correctional Service chief refuted the reports about his suspension from duty, the NCoS Public Relations Officer Umar Abubakar’s statement on the Correctional Service’s X page on Monday refuted Anugwa’s claims, adding that it was a ‘gross misconduct’ designed to mislead the public.

The statement partly reads: “The attention of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been drawn to a trending video of one of its senior officers purporting that the Service has not served him a letter of suspension as earlier directed by the Civil Defence, Correctional Fire, and Immigration Services Board (COCFIB).

“The Service views this as gross misconduct aimed at misleading the public on the issue at hand. To avoid doubt, the Nigerian Correctional Service suspended not only the said officer in the video, but three (3) other officers following their alleged roles in various misconducts to allow for further investigation.”

Additionally, the statement indicated that Mr Anugwa’s and the other officers’ suspension took effect on 26 September and was communicated to the respective officers accordingly.

“The Service views this as gross misconduct aimed at misleading the public on the issue at hand. To avoid doubt, the Nigerian Correctional Service suspended not only the said officer in the video, but three (3) other officers following their alleged roles in various misconducts to allow for further investigation.”

Additionally, HURIWA recalled that the statement from the Correctional Service’s head of public relations, indicated that Mr Anugwa’s and the other officers’ suspension took effect on 26 September and was communicated to the respective officers accordingly.

Besides, the NCoS urged the public to remain steadfast, emphasising that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that any individuals or groups found guilty would be held accountable under the Public Service Rules and other applicable laws.

The statement noted, “The suspended officers are the officer-in-charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) Sikiru Adekunle; the Officer-in-charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) Michael Anugwa; the Officer-in-charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, FCT Command, DCC Kevin Ikechukwu lloafonsi; and Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC II) Ogbule Samuel Obinna of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

“Recall that two (2) letters were issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) with reference Nos: CDCFIB/NCOS/DISP/016/VOL.II/16 and CDCFIB/NCOS/DISP/O16/VOL.II/17, both dated 26th September 2024, suspending the aforementioned Officers.”

HURIWA which provided a background  context to the controversy, asserted that the controversy began when social media influencer Martins ‘VeryDarkMan’ Otse shared a leaked audio recording of Bobrisky on his Instagram page.

In the audio, Bobrisky alleged that officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) collected N15 million from him in exchange for dropping money laundering charges.

Additionally, he alleged that he spent his six-month jail term in a private apartment after his godfather intervened by contacting the Comptroller General of Prisons in Abuja.

Bobrisky further allegedly stated that human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, Falz, contacted him to facilitate an application for a presidential pardon on his behalf. The duo vehemently denied the said statement by Bobrisky as to their involvement and had vowed to institute a libel case against the VeryDarkMan over defamation.

In April, the EFCC arrested Bobrisky and charged him with six counts of money laundering and Naira mutilation.

During his trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Judge Abimbola Awogboro dismissed the money laundering charges (counts five and six) but sentenced him to six months in prison for Naira abuse.

Last week, the bribery received widespread attention. It led to the House of Representatives resolving to investigate the matter, mandating its committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions to conduct the inquiry.

The joint committee summoned the EFCC, NCoS, VeryDarkMan, and Bobrisky to appear before it.

The hearing commenced on Monday. VeryDarkMan and his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, and representatives from the EFCC and NCoS were in attendance, while Bobrisky was absent.

HURIWA said the National Assembly needs to assert her power and must pass a strong message regarding the issue of speaking under an oath sworn to before granting testimony by invitees to its public hearing even as the Rights group stated that since the Correctional Service’s head of public relations had debunked the aspect of the testimony to the federal house of parliament by one of her suspended officials who under an oath asserted that his reported suspension wasn’t correct, therefore the group views this as alleged perjury which should attract parliamentary censure and further sanction on the allegedly defaulting official.

HURIWA stated that lying under an oath is known as perjury or for swearing in some climes and it is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding even in the parliamentary public hearing sessions.

The Rights group quoted a legal practitioner Olubunmi Akinseye Esq as stating correctly that lying under oath or any other Authority Sanctioned by Law is an offense known as perjury, defined in section 117 and punishable under section 118 of the criminal code by either 14 years imprisonment or for life if it is done to implicate someone for an offense punishable by Death/life imprisonment.

The lie could be either oral or documented (e.g. affidavit), during a Court proceeding or towards initiating a Court proceeding.

It is an offense because the Fact or Information purportedly deposed to is believed and expected to be within the unmistakable knowledge of the deponent, hence the court or the relevant authority can safely rely on it without the miscarriage of justice.

HURIWA further quoted another legal mind, Mr.David Ebriku Esq as affirming that the act of lying under oath is called perjury in most jurisdictions, although it can also be referred to as forswearing or lying on oath.

In legal terms, it requires an intentional act of lying after a person has taken an oath or affirmation, to tell the truth. Penalties for this crime can vary by jurisdiction but often include imprisonment.

Perjury is a crime in many jurisdictions. A person can commit perjury by lying under oath either verbally or in writing.

In the media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko,  the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said if the federal house of parliament overlooks acts of alleged perjury by persons invited to give testimonial information on matters of public importance under an oath of parliament,  it therefore amounts to the institutionalisation of impunity and lawlessness which diminishes the legal stature of the National Assembly.