On Thursday, the Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned two Staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Monday Ifiesimama and Beesor Sorle before a Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt for alleged electoral offences.
Another man identified as Darlington Ogolo was also
arraigned alongside the INEC officials. Ifiesimama and Sorle were
accused of attempting to steal 3,097 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and
selling them to Ogolo, whose identity was still under investigation.
Ogolo, on his part, was accused of bribing Ifiesimama and Sorle with
sum of N300,000 and N120,000 respectively as payment for the PVCs. The
accused persons are facing eight counts charge of conspiracy, bribery,
theft and fraud in suit number PHC/313C/19.
Mr Calistus Eze,the Prosecuting Counsel said the accused persons
allegedly committed the offences between May and August 2018. He said
their acts contravened Sections 98 (4) (1) and Section (A) (1) of the
Criminal Code Law of Rivers state. He said that the offence also
violated Section 120 (1) (d) and Section 117 (1) (e) of the Electoral
Act 2010.
Chief Magistrate S.D. Andrew-Jaja, however, admitted the three
accused persons to bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with a surety each
in same amount. Andrew-Jaja ordered that the sureties must be Civil
Servants on not less than Grade Level 12 in Rivers State Civil
Service. He thereafter adjoined the matter until Feb. 20, for
hearing. In another development, the DSS arraigned one Philemon
Lawrence, 25, who allegedly paraded himself as INEC official.
Lawrence was accused of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public
after promising his victims jobs as INEC ad hoc staff. The DSS alleged
that the accused person collected N3, 800 each from members of the
public after advertising his bank account online. He was handed a three
counts charge bordering on conspiracy, impersonation and fraud.
Andrew-Jaja also admitted him to bail in the sum of N300, 000 with
surety in like sum. The chief magistrate adjourned the case until Feb.
19, for further hearing
