By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The three senior officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were arraigned before a vacation judge, Justice Muslim Sule Hassan of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi Lagos State, Nigeria by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged offences bordering on N179.8 million fraud were on Tuesday granted bail by another vacation judge, Justice (Prof) Chuka Obiozor of same Federal High Court, Lagos.
Ruling on their bail application, the three accused officers; Yemi Akinwonmi, Dickson Atiba and Ogunmodede Oladayo were granted bail by the judge in the sum of N50 million each with one surety in like sum.
After the ruling, the defence counsel Chief Edward Ayo-Odugbesan offered to stand as surety for the defendants.
While accepting Chief Ayo-Odugbessn as surety to the defendants, Justice Obiozor directed him to produce the original copy of his Bar certificate.
Furthermore, the counsel/surety was mandated by the court to give a written undertaking that the defendants will make themselves available for trial.
In addition, the counsel cum surety was ordered by the court to swear to an affidavit of means and as well furnish the court the statement of a valid account he owns.
Another bail condition is that the surety and each of the defendants were asked to supply two recent passport photographs to the court.
Justice Obiozor directed the chief registrar to ensure that all the documents to be provided by the counsel were properly verified.
However, consequent upon an oral application by the defence counsel, the judge released the defendants temporarily to the counsel and mandated them to perfect the bail conditions within one week or risk being sent back to prison.
The case would be assigned to another judge and full trial of the accused is ecpected to commence after the court’s long vacation.
It would recalled that the trio were docked on eight- counts charge of conspiracy, benefitting from proceeds of crime, receiving cash sums without going through financial institutions and accepting cash sums exceeding the amount authorized by law.
They were alleged to have received the said sums from various commercial banks sometimes in March 2015, within the period of 2015 general election.
The offences allegedly committed by the accused persons contravene the provisions of Section 15(2)(d), 16 (d) 1(a), 16 (1) (d),16 (d) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended.
After listening to the charge preferred against them, they pleaded not guilty all the counts.
After their pleas, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to remand them in prison custody, and issue a trial date.
Responding, the defence counsel asked the court for a very short adjournment for hearing of their bail applications.
Consequently, Justice Hassan adjourned the case until August 6, for hearing of the accused’s bail application.