Three INEC Officials Remanded In Prison For N179m Election Fraud

Jail (File photo)

Officials Were Charged With Money Laundering

Three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission has been remanded in the Ikoyi Prison, by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.

Justice Muslim Hassan, gave the order shortly after the officials attached to the Ogun State office, were arraigned for allegedly laudering N179.8m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleged that the defendants, Yemi Akinwonmi, Dickson Atiba and Ogunmodede Oladayo conspired among themselves and took possession of the N179.8m in March 2015, days before the general elections.

INEC said they had received the money from one Adeyinka Ayo Aina when they “reasonably ought to have known that the money formed part of proceeds of fraud.”

The cash received was reported to have been handled without going through any financial institution, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

The EFCC alleged that the first and second defendants, on or about April 7, 2015, made and accepted a cash payment of N69m, “which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and punishable under Section 16(2) of the same Act.”

The three defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the eight charges placed before them.

While adjourning till August 6, 2018 to take their bail applications, Justice Hassan ordered that they should be remanded in Ikoyi Prison.‎