3 INEC officials docked over alleged N179.8m fraud

Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission were yesterday docked at a Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged fraud of N179.8 million.

The accused, from the Ogun State INEC office, are Yemi Akinwonmi, Dickson Atiba and Ogunmodede Oladayo.

They were arraigned before Justice Sule Hassan led-court on an eight count-charge bordering on conspiracy, befitting from proceeds of crime, receiving various cash sums without going through financial institutions and accepting various cash sums exceeding amount authorized by the law.

They were said to have received the said money from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Stanbic/IBTC, Diamond Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Skye Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc, sometimes in March 2015, during the general elections.

The offences according to the prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, are contrary to section 18 (a), 15(2) (d), 16 (d) 1(a), 16 (1) (d), and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as Amended and punishable under 15 (3)(4) and 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.

The, accused, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecutor, Oyedepo, urged the court to remand them in prison, pending trial date, but their lawyers asked for a very short date for hearing of their clients’ bail applications.

Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to August 6 for hearing of the accused bail applications.