Two Former INEC Staff Docked For N210 Scam

The Enugu Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday June 26, 2018, arraigned the duo of Gilbert Okorocha, an Administrative Officer with the Independent National Electoral Commission, Anambra State, who was also the state Coordinator of West Africa Network Election Observers, and Oscar Lee Amaechi,  an Administrative Secretary of INEC, before Justice I. B. Gafai of the Federal High Court Awka, on a five count charge of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N210,000.000.00 (Two Hundred and Ten Million Naira).

They pleaded not guilty on all the counts preferred against them by the Commission. The accused persons allegedly received funds from the director of finance, Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman purportedly on the instruction of some chieftains of the People Democratic Party in the state, which were distributed to electoral officers in the 21 local governments of the State with the aim of influencing the outcome of the 2015 general elections.

Their offences were contrary to the provisions of Section 1(a) and  16(1)(d) of Money Laundering (Prohibition) ACT,2011 as amended 2012 and punishable under section 16 (2) (b) of same Act. After their plea, the defence counsel Williams Omogua and E.O Akataka applied for bail of the accused persons on the grounds that the offence was bailable.

Prosecution counsel O. Marshal Umokoro did not oppose the applications. Thereafter, Justice Gafai granted the defendants bail with two sureties each in like sum. Sureties, he ruled, must be civil servants under the state government service not below grade level 10.

The case is adjourned to June 29, 2018, for the commencement of trial.