JUST IN: Court Takes Action on Alleged $49,700 Bribe Recovered from Ex-INEC Commissioner
- A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, a former INEC commissioner
- The funds, discovered during a DSS search, are suspected to be bribe money received by Dr. Ali during his tenure
- Justice Nwite ruled that the funds would be held in an escrow account by CBN pending further investigation
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A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary forfeiture of $49,700 allegedly recovered from Dr. Nura Ali, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Sokoto State.
The court’s ruling came on Monday, December 29, after an ex-parte motion was filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), seeking to preserve the funds pending further investigation.
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Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order and instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to hold the funds in an escrow account.
The court also mandated the publication of a notice in a national newspaper to allow any interested parties to challenge the forfeiture.
Details of the alleged crime
The funds were discovered during a search by the Department of State Services (DSS) at Dr. Ali’s residence in Kano State.
According to court filings, the $49,700 is suspected to be bribe money received by Dr. Ali during his tenure as an INEC commissioner.
The ICPC argued that INEC does not pay its staff in foreign currency, indicating that the money is not a legitimate earning.
Dr. Ali, however, claimed in his extra-judicial statement that the funds were a gift from former governors Aminu Tambuwal and Aliyu Wamakko.
He also requested the release of the funds from the DSS, calling them personal gifts, Vanguard reported.
ICPC argues funds are proceeds of crime
The ICPC lawyer presented several exhibits, including a search warrant and Dr. Ali’s statements, to argue that the funds should be temporarily forfeited to prevent dissipation.
The anti-graft agency contended that the funds were proceeds of crime.
Justice Nwite ruled that the application was justified to ensure due process and preserve the funds until a full investigation could be conducted.
He emphasized that if Dr. Ali can provide a valid explanation for the source of the money, the funds would be returned, Leadership reported.
The case has been adjourned to January 30, 2025, for a compliance report on the media publication, with a substantive hearing scheduled for March 31, 2025.
Court rules on Yahaya Bello alleged N110bn fraud case
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has granted bail to Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, in the sum of N500 million.
Bello faces charges of alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to N110,446,470,089, a violation of sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963. Ruling on the bail application on Thursday, December 19, Justice Maryann Anenih outlined the conditions of bail.
Bello must provide three sureties, each with properties worth N500 million, situated in prime areas of the FCT, including Guzape, Wuse 2, Apo, Asokoro, and Jabi.
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Source: Legit.ng
