By Pascal Ibe

An X user, Emeka Gift Official, has claimed that Senator Neda Imasuen, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, was an ex-convict in the United States.

Lamenting the unending corrupt activities in Nigeria, he claimed that the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Neda Imasuen was an ex-convict in the US

The post reads, “It is shameful the extent of moral decadence in our society. Including our House of Reps members, first-class traditional rulers, celebrities, church leaders, Muslim leaders, etc. Can you imagine a whole senator chairing the Ethics Committee is a convict in the USA? This is shameful. Interestingly, they commit these crimes and want to pin them on IPOB. Shameful. You can never destroy IPOB, you will destroy yourselves. Nigeria will be destroyed.”

The post had generated over 1.5k and hundreds of reposts.

Mr Imasuen made the headlines weeks ago after recommending the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a Senator Representing Kogi Central District, for violating the Senate standing rules.

Imasuen represents the Edo South District in the Senate.

The dispute had started over a seating arrangement issue but later snowballed into claims of sexual harassment by the former Kogi governorship candidate against Akpabio.

The same committee dismissed the Kogi Central lawmaker’s petition of alleged abuse of office, sexual harassment, and obstruction of legislative duties.

Imasuen described the petition as “dead on arrival” and would not be entertained by the Red Chamber. Her petition was signed by her constituents.

Verification

Citing an exclusive report by the Premium Times on 10th March, it disclosed that Imasuen, a Nigerian-trained lawyer, was barred by a US court from practicing law in America in 2010.

According to the report, “while Mr Imasuen was in the US, an American, Daphne Slyfield, hired the Nigerian to represent him in a legal matter, which the lawyer allegedly neglected to do.

According to the document, Mr Slyfield petitioned the Supreme Court of New York, alleging that Mr Imasuen neglected a legal matter entrusted to him after being paid for the services.

The Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts of the Court handled the matter.

The petitioner accused Mr Imasuen of “professional misconduct.” George Friedman was referred to hear and report on the issues raised as a special referee.

The document obtained by Premium Times reads, “The respondent, Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is commanded to desist and refrain from practicing law in any form, either as principal or agent, clerk, or employee of another, appearing as an attorney or counselor-at-law before any court, Judge, Justice, board, commission, or other public authority, giving to another an opinion as to the law or its application or any advice in relation thereto, and holding himself out in any way as an attorney and counselor-at-law,” the Grievance Committee ordered.

The committee stated in the order, dated 11 May 2010 that Mr. Imasuen violated the New York bar code and rules.

It was gathered that Mr Imasuen returned to Nigeria the same year after his disbarment.

There’s no evidence or report anywhere that corroborates the claim that Mr Imasuen was an ex-convict in the US as claimed.

Verdict

Therefore, this claim is MISLEADING as he was only barred from practicing law in the US, not an ex-convict.