3 INEC staff charged with receiving N179m Diezani bribe
News & Trends •
the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them3 the economic and financial crimes commission efcc on monday arraigned three officials of the independent national electoral commission inec at the federal high court sitting in lagos and charged them with receiving n179.8 million stolen money as bribe from former oil minister diezani alison-madueke1 the menyemi akinwunmi atiba dickson and ogunmodedeoladayo docked before justice muslim hassan of the federal high court in ikoyi are being tried on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy diversion of public funds and money laundering1 the defendants- -were alleged to have collected the slush funds in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election1 investigation revealed that the money was disbursed to some chieftains and members of the peoples democratic party pdp as well as some retired staff of inec in ogun state to compromise the 2015 general elections1 in view of their pleas the prosecution counsel nnaemeka omewa asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody1 however counsel to the defendant ayo ogungbesan moved an oral application for bail on behalf of his clients1 in refusing the bail application the judge held that the defence counsel must make a formal application for bail on behalf of his clients1 consequently justice hassan adjourned the matter to august 6 2018 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded prison custody1