Newly elected Ward 5 City Councilor-read elect and current School Committee member Iman Osman is facing increasing scrutiny over his residency, his eligibility to hold office, and new questions about his judgement after a police report showed his handgun was stolen from his unlocked car last weekend.
Meanwhile, Lewiston resident Lisa Jones says she is now preparing to file an official complaint in court alleging Osman was not a legal resident of Ward 5 and was therefore an ineligible candidate on the November ballot.
Residents have also indicated they plan to speak about the matter during citizen participation at Monday’s School Committee meeting and Tuesday’s Lewiston City Council meeting, adding to growing public pressure on city leadership to address the situation.
[RELATED: Lewiston Council Candidate’s Purported Address at Center of Residency Dispute, Federal Drug Case]
This controversy is not new. In October, The Maine Wire reported that Osman previously claimed residency at 210 Blake Street, a condemned building lacking a certificate of occupancy and tied directly to a federal drug investigation.
Federal and state agents arrested Muktar Abshir Aden, 25, who lived at that address, on methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Osman, through his attorney, has told city officials he cannot disclose his current address, as his life is in danger. Yet there are no reports of Osman notifying the Lewiston Police of threats on him.
Adding to the growing list of concerns, a recent Lewiston Police incident report shows Osman’s handgun was stolen from his unlocked car last weekend.
The theft occurred in an area of the city known for frequent gun-related incidents.
Osman currently serves on the Lewiston School Committee while preparing to take a seat on the City Council.
On Friday, Lewiston resident Lisa Jones posted a video from outside the courthouse announcing she is preparing to file the legal complaint.
“Filing an official complaint costs $175, and then buying a summons to serve Iman Osman costs another $5… Anyone who wants to get in on this and be a plaintiff, I’ll need your signature.”
Residents say they want the school committee, the city council, the clerk, and the mayor to publicly acknowledge the growing concerns.
This comes as many question why City Hall has been silent on the matter and why no elected official has clarified whether Osman’s claimed addresses were ever independently verified.
Jones says she will review paperwork over the weekend and begin gathering signatures from Lewiston residents who wish to join the complaint as plaintiffs.
Once filed, the case will set in motion the formal legal process to determine whether Osman was an ineligible candidate and whether the November election must be redone.
