Matilda Omonaiye/
Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State were remanded in Ikoyi Prison today after they were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Federal High Court in Lagos today.
Gbadegun Isaiah Abiodun, Oladipo Oladapo and Afolabi Peter Albert, appeared before Justice Chuka Obiozor on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N177, 300,000.
The defendants, who are INEC staff in Osun State allegedly conspired amongst themselves to receive a cash payment of N177, 300,000 from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, on the eve of the 2015 general election, without going through a financial institution.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Gbadegun Isaiah Abiodun, Oladipo Oladapo and Afolabi Peter Albert and others at large, on or about the 30th day of March 2015 in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to accept a cash payment of the sum of N177,300,000 (One Hundred and Seventy- seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only), which exceeded the N5,000,000.00( Five Million Naira) Limit, without going through a financial institution, contrary to Section 18 and punishable under Section 16(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended by the Act NO.1 2012 ).”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Iheanacho Ekele, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.
Counsel to the defendants, Dapo Esan, informed the court of summons for bail which was filed today and prayed the court for a short adjournment to argue the bail application.
He also urged the court to remand the defendants in EFCC custody on the grounds of ill health.
Consequently, Justice Obiozor adjourned the case to August 7, 2018, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded in Ikoyi Prison.
The suspects are being prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal office of EFCC headed by Mr Akan Ezima.
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