Following heavy allegations of a reportedly huge amount in bribe money given to some officials of INEC, about N15million has been revealed to have been returned so far.
Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke
A second prosecution witness, one Mr Usman Zakari has testified in the trial of two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facing charges of receiving a bribe of N264m from the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke.
According to Channels TV, the two defendants are Christian Nwosu and Tijani India Bashir while the witness, Zakari, is an operative with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC had alleged that the money was deployed by the former minister for the purpose of rigging the 2015 general elections.
A third man, one Yisa Adedoyin, had already pleaded guilty to the charges and has been convicted on a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC.Nwosu and Bashir, however, pleaded not guilty and elected to stand trial.
Nwosu and Bashir, however, pleaded not guilty and elected to stand trial.
Led in evidence on Thursday by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness told the court that sometime in 2016, the commission received intelligence that the former minister allegedly received gratification to the tune of $115m for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2015 elections.
The witness said that following the intelligence, the commission swung into investigations and in the course stumbled on receipts of payment of monies.
The first defendant, Mr Nwosu who was the administrator of INEC in Kwara State at the time, allegedly signed for a payment of N264.8m while the receipt also had the signature of Adedoyin who has since pleaded guilty.
Based on the receipts, Zakari said the EFCC sent invitations to the defendants to appear before it.
“During interrogation with Adedoyin who reported first to the commission, he told operatives that he signed for the money and handed same to Bashir for onward transmission to other members of staff,” he said.
According to the witness, Adedoyin benefited N70m and Nwosu got N30m while the remaining funds were transferred to Bashir for onward payment to some ad-hoc staff members.
“We have so far, recovered N10m from Adedoyin, N5m from Nwosu, as well as title document to landed properties purchased from crime proceeds. The source of these monies recovered from the accused was from the gratification given to the then minister of petroleum for purposes of ‘interfering’ with the course of the 2015 general elections. After our interview with the accused at the commission, Nwosu stated that he benefited N30m while Adedoyin benefitted N70m and they both promised to return the money. Nwosu later made a payment of N4m and when he reported later to the commission, paid the balance of N1m and submitted title document of landed properties acquired,” he said.
Consequently, the prosecutor tendered a statement of the first accused in evidence but his move was opposed by defence counsel, Mr Victor Opara on the grounds that the statement was not voluntarily made.
Mr Oyedepo then asked the court for a ‘trial within trial’ to test the voluntariness of the said statement.
Justice Mohammed Idris has fixed October 13 for the commencement of a ‘trial within trial’.