•Anti-graft agency probes large scale bribery
Alleged corruption in the
2015 general elections is back in the news following the arrest
of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State, Gesila Khan and four
others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The
Nation report continues:
The
suspects are being held for a ₦650.9million 2015 poll bribery scandal, EFCC
sources said last night.
Sensitive
election materials for the 2015 presidential and senatorial polls were also
retrieved from the residences of some of the suspects as were many documents on
financial and landed properties.
Some
of the documents are receipts of payments made into their accounts.
The
suspects allegedly committed the poll bribery fraud in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and
Cross River states.
There
were indications that many INEC staff and Ad hoc workers benefitted from the
bribe-for-poll results scandal.
Khan,
who was the REC in Rivers State during the last general election, allegedly
pocked ₦185, 842,000 out of the bribe sum under probe by the EFCC.
The
other suspects and the bribe cash against their names are Fidelia Omoile
(Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State)—₦112,480,000;
Uluochi Obi Brown ( INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State)—₦111,500,000;
a former Deputy Director of INEC in Cross River state, Edem Okon Effanga—₦241,127,000
and the Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata Asuquo–₦214,127,000.
According
to investigation by our correspondent, all the suspects and their accomplices
have made useful statements to EFCC.
A
top source said: "During the preliminary grilling of Khan, she admitted
that she went to a bank to identify one Peter Popnen (who is on the run) to
collect ₦185, 842,000.
“We
have launched a manhunt for Popnen to ascertain how the deal was struck. As far
Fidelia Omoile, we discovered that her signature and driver’s license were
allegedly used for some of the ₦112.48m transactions.
“Regarding
Uluochi, investigation confirmed that she had US$75, 857 in her account with the
Bank of America as at February. This indicated that she laundered some of the ₦111.5m poll bribery cash abroad.
“In
any case, EFCC is quizzing her on why she is operating a foreign account in
violation of the Code of Conduct Act.”
Another
source in the commission said those who benefitted from the scandal appeared to
be many.
The
source gave more details on the confessions of some of the suspects.
“On
his part, Effanga told interrogators that although he cashed the ₦241,127,000
at a branch of Fidelity Bank in Calabar, he only got US$290,000 as his share.
“But
from his testimony, many INEC staff and Ad hoc workers benefitted from the
loot. We are probing the sources of these slush funds which were deployed in
some of these states to bribe INEC staff. Certainly, we are looking into many
accounts which were used by some INEC staff.”
Asked
about Immaculata Asuquo, the source added: “She said she was directed by the
REC in Akwa Ibom to go and identify Effanga in order to cash the ₦241,127,000.”
As
at press time, it was gathered that all the suspects had been granted bail but
they could not fulfil the conditions.
The
source said: “EFCC may have no choice than to approach a court for a warrant to
detain them.
“I think we may go to court
on Monday accordingly.”
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