$115M Money Laundering: INEC Director Pleads Guilty To Conspiring With Diezani

A director of administration at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Christian Nwosu, has pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring with former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke who is still at large.

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, subsequently found him guilty, but deferred his sentence till Friday.

Unlike Nwosu, two other accused persons who were arraigned alongside Diezani – Yisa Olanrewaju Adedoyin, and Tijani Inda Bashi, pleaded not guilty to the 7-count charge.

Prosecuting on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo told the Court that Nwosu received N30million out of the total of N264, 880, 000.

The prosecutor said that Nwosu confessed to commission of the offence and opted for plea bargain.

“He has given useful information and entered into agreement to forfeit his property which include a bare land of 100ft by 80ft in Delta State, and a developed property in the same place, all these, which he said were acquired from the stolen money.

According to the prosecutor, Nwosu has also paid the sum of N25million which the prosecutor said had been remitted into the EFCC account with the CBN.

He said Nwosu had also promised to pay the balance of N5million later.

The trial judge adjourned ruling till Friday on the argument of bail applications made on behalf of two other accused persons by their respective lawyers.

According to the charge, all the Accused, on or about March 27, 2015, allegedly conspired amongst themselves to directly take possession of N264,880, 000 that they ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, gratification.

The charge also read that the Accused on the same day made cash payment of N234, 880, 000, which exceeded the amount authorized by law without going through financial institution.

On his own part, Tijani Inda Bashir was said to have made cash payment of N70, 050, 000 to Yisa Olanrewaju Adedoyin.

Bashir also allegedly took possession of N164, 880, 000.

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