Three INEC staff arraigned for collecting N179.8m from Diezani Alison-Madueke
The EFCC on Monday, July 30, 2018, arraigned three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants – Yemi Akinwunmi, Atiba Dickson and Ogunmodede Oladayo – were arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, diversion of public funds and money laundering.
They had allegedly laundered a sum of N179.8 million.
The court heard that Akinwunmi, Dickson, and Oladayo collected the slush funds from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.
Investigation revealed that the money was disbursed through Fidelity Bank Plc to some chieftains and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as well as some retired staff of INEC in Ogun State in order to compromise the 2015 general elections.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
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 custody.
However, counsel to the defendant, Ayo Ogungbesan, moved an oral application for bail on behalf of his clients.
In refusing the bail application, the judge held that the defence counsel must make a formal application for bail on behalf of his clients.
Consequently, Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to August 6, 2018 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded prison custody.
