Rather Than Release To His Clients N107 Million Meant For Them, Former Counsel To PRTV Staffs Ran To Court To Stop EFCC From Investigating Him

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Yakubu Busari

No fewer than 100 staff of Plateau radio and TV who were suspended by the former Governor Jonah David Jang and reinstated by Governor Simon Bako Lalong in 2016 has raised an alarm that one Barr Gideon Ngwen, Esq, their former lawyer, is now playing a double standard game on them.

These staff of Plateau Radio Television Cooperation, PRTVC  ,a state media said they are yet to see half of the money amounting to N107 million part payment for out of court settlement with the state government was said to be still hanging in their former counsel’s custody.

The  100 staff who were at the industrial court over the dispute when Barr Gideon’s Ngwen who was their counsel, who helped them approached the court before there was an agreement for an out of court settlement, has turned out to be the one fighting them now, as he has dragged his former clients to the Federal High Court, Jos Division praying the court to stop them from writing a petition to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) against them.

It was gathered that defendants counsel to the 1st -12th   disclosed that government released to them  N107 million meant for Barr Ngwen’s clients, ( staff of Plateau Radio Television Corporation), PRTV couldn’t get their money when there then counsel keeps dribbling them, as he said that he will not releases any money to his former client, until all amount is released to him, as this medium gathered that the first release is now clocking between, 5/6  years.

Barr Ngwen who appeared for himself before justice Dorcas Agishi told the  Federal High Court that, the staff numbering up to 100  at the Industrial Court Jos have written a complaint to NBA disciplinary committee, which he claimed that that committee had already exonerated him.

Information reaching this medium revealed that out-of-court settlement was done and a judgment sum of N181 million was entered in favor of the staff.

According to records made available to this medium sometime in 2016,  the sum of N107 million was paid into the account of Barr Ngwen being part payment of the judgment sum on behalf of his clients.

The staff is now lamenting that” when the money was released, we approached him to share it to us but the one that has been released to him, but he vehemently refused, adding that until all funds are released before he will share the money, as he said he wants them to complete all payments of the whole sum of the money before he disbursed it.

However, not satisfied with the development some of the staff began to entertain fear that if urgent steps are not taken their counsel might end up squandering the whole money and leaves them with nothing.

 

This medium gathered that they became suspicious and as such, they reported Barr Gideon’s Ngwen to his state chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) with a hand full of lamentation and a letter of a petition against him to the EFCC attached.

When, he, Barr Ngwen was invited to face the committee penal no feedback came on how he is willing to admit and disburse the money but he rather filed a suit in a court seeking to stop the EFCC from investigating him as he is now claiming N200 million damages against the defendants.

The matter has been adjourned to July 23, 2020, for the hearing of the application.

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