Reps clears three lawmakers of US rape allegation

On Tuesday Nigeria’s House of Representative absolved three of its members accused of sexual misconduct by the United States. The decision was taken in line with the recommendations of the Committee saddle with duty of investigating the allegations, the Joint Committee on ethics and privileges and foreign affairs.The recommendations of the joint committee read thus: “That Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, Hon. Mark Terseer Gbillah and Hon. Samuel Ikon are cleared of and exonerated from the allegations leveled against them by the United States Ambassador to Nigeria in his June 9, 2016 letter to the Rt. Hon. Speaker, for want of evidence. “That in the light of the foregoing, the Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs do engage with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, with a view to finding a seamless resolution of the domestic fallout of this unfortunate incident as it relates to Hon. Mohammed Garba Gololo, Hon. Mark Terseer Gbillah and Hon. Samuel Ikon “That the Ministry of Foreign affairs do write to remind the United States Embassy of the need to always adopt the official channel of communications in its dealings with any organ or institution of government.” Recall that the United States of America, through its ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, had accused three members of the House of attempted rape and soliciting for sex while on a visit to the White House on an official assignment in April 2016. However, the accused lawmakers denied the allegation.