INEC chiefs have case to answer over Bribery – Court

Agency ReporterAugust 15, 2018

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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed a no-case submission filed by a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Administrative Secretary in Kwara State, Mr. Christian Nwosu.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Nwosu for allegedly accepting gratification from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

He was re-arraigned along with Tijani Bashir before Justice Mohammed Idris.

They were arraigned with another INEC official, Yisa Adedoyin, who pleaded guilty to the offence and was convicted following a plea bargain.

Nwosu had initially pleaded guilty to receiving N30million bribe from Mrs. Alison-Madueke to rig the 2015 general election results, but he changed his plea to not guilty.

The INEC official claimed he was induced by EFCC to plead guilty at first, but pleaded not guilty when he was re-arraigned.

EFCC said they allegedly conspired to directly take possession of N264,880.000, which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of an unlawful act – gratification.

They also allegedly made cash payment of N70,050,000 to Adedoyin, which exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution.