‘I’m not in jail, fulfilled court sentence option, remains member of NASS’, Gombe Lawmaker speaks out

The Member of House of Representatives representing Billiri/Balanga Federal Constituency of Gombe State, Mr. Victor Mela Danzaria has declared that he is not in jail or any correctional centre anywhere in the country as against wide spread rumours of such.

Victor Mela who was reacting to a report that circulated on Friday that he has been sentenced to a correctional centre in Abuja by a Chief Magistrate Court zone 6, Abuja said that nothing could be farther than the truth.

The federal Lawmaker in a press statement he made available to newsmen in Gombe on Saturday, stated that though there was a sentence but with an option of fine, adding that he had immediately satisfied the conditions and now walking freely.

According to him, “Yesterday, the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Zone 6, Abuja finally dispensed the matter with sentencing. I was given an option of fine; a condition which I satisfied immediately,” attributing the false stories going round to the activities of his opponents who are bent on fabricating falsehood to discredit his person. 

He stated that, “These are all lies concocted and fabricated by my desperate opponent to discredit me; I urge you to totally disregard it as well as any false publications.”

Victor Mela explained that, “you may recall that about two weeks ago, I briefed you through this medium about happenings surrounding the alleged false declaration case filed against me at the instance of Hon. Ali Isa JC, who had earlier instituted 5 court cases against me since his overwhelming defeat by my humble self at 2019 National Assembly elections.”

The statement reads further that, “However, I would like to draw your attention to the false and malicious publications currently circulating on the internet via some online social media platforms.”

He added that, “In the same vein, I have read with utmost dismay some misleading and misguided headlines that I was purportedly sentenced to imprisonment at a Correctional Center in the FCT. This (mis)information is a grave misrepresentation of the sentence passed yesterday by the court.”

“While some of the above mentioned outfits reported that I had earlier deposed to 3 conflicting affidavits pertaining my citizenship status and that I hold a British passport, others said that I have been imprisoned. Let me clearly state here that, I do not have a British passport and neither was I imprisoned nor detained at any point in time during and after the trial, ” he further stated.

He, however, explained that as at the end of working hours on Friday, 27th November, 2020, Certified True Copies (CTC) of the Judgement and Sentence of the Court had not being issued to anyone, stressing, “I, inclusive, as a result of which the source of the news circulating on some social media platforms remains inexplicable.”

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Victor Mela added that, “as always and even at the moment, I am free and carrying out my legislative duties for the good people of my constituency, my state and the nation as a whole.”

“While I have already authorised the filing of an appeal against the Judgement of the Magistrate Court, I call for calm and urge my supporters, sympathizers and everyone to believe in the judiciary and respect for rule of law as well as the judicial processes entirely. In due course, hopefully we will collectively succeed in the appeal, ” he stated.

He then pledged his continued loyalty to his constituents of Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency and thanked them for their unalloyed and unprecedented support, saying, “The truth, will at the end of the day prevail over propaganda.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE