Buhari Goes Tough on Corruption As Two Ex-INEC Official Are Sent to Prison
- Two former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission have been found guilty of abusing their offices while they were in the employ of the commission
- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission presented overwhelming evidence in court against the officials
- The anti-graft agency vowed that any official who engages in corrupt acts will be prosecuted irrespective of status
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Ilorin, Kwara state - The Buhari administration recorded another victory in its anti-corruption campaign after it secured the conviction of two former staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Channels TV reported that the officials were charged before the Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, by the Lagos zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven counts bordering on criminal misappropriation and criminal breach of trust while they were in the employ of INEC.
Source: Facebook
The plea bargain
Wilson Uwujaren, a spokesperson for the commission in a statement on Tuesday, July 6, said the convicts, Christian Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir, during the trial, opted for a plea bargain with the prosecution due to the overwhelming evidence against them.
He stated that as part of the bargain, the convicts changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty.
The presiding judge, Justice Abdul-Gafar, found them guilty of the offence and sentenced them to one year imprisonment each.
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Forfeiture of assets
According to The Guardian, the judge ordered the final forfeiture of two landed properties valued at N25 million at Okpanam, Asaba in Delta State recovered from the first convict, Nwosu, as well as a N5 million bank draft raised by him in favour of the commission to the federal government.
Justice Abdul-Gafar also ordered the final forfeiture of a four-bedroom flat worth N27 million at No. 60 Umme Street, Wuse Abuja, recovered from the second convict, Inda-Bashir, to the federal government.
EFCC arraigns BESIEC Boss, 8 others for alleged fraud
In another news, the chairman, Benue state Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Dr. Loko Tersoo Joseph is in trouble over his involvement in alleged fraudulent activities.
Joseph alongside eight other people have been arraigned over alleged financial fraud of N500 million, the EFCC posted on Facebook.
They were arraigned by the Makurdi zonal office of the commission before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court in Makurdi, Benue state.
Source: Legit.ng
