Diezani’s N23bn: I Received N30m Bribe, INEC Staff Confesses

BY ALIJO SYLVESTER, ABUJA – A staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Christian Nwosu has pleaded guilty to receiving N30million as bribe from the N23 billion alleged Diezani bribe meant to compromise electoral officers before the 2015 general elections.
Nwosu was among three INEC officials that were docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice M. B. Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a 7-count charge bordering on receiving gratification to the tune of N264,880,000.00 (Two Hundred and Sixty-four Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira).
Nwosu and the other accused persons-Yisa Olanrewaju Adedoyin and Tijani Bashir had, on March 27, 2015, allegedly received bribes from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Count one of the charges read: “That you, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke (still at large), Christian Nwosu, Yisa Olanrewaju Adedoyin and Tijani Bashir on or about the 27th day of March, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to directly take possession of N264,880,000(Two Hundred and Sixty-four Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: gratification and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2002 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Another count reads: “That you, Christian Nwosu on or about the 27 day of March, 2015 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court directly used the sum of N30,000,000 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: gratification and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the money laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Both the second and third defendants, Adedoyin and Bashir, pleaded not guilty to the charges..
But, the first defendant, Nwosu, pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him.
Counsel to the first defendant, Adaku Ngbangba, pleaded with the court to grant her client bail on self-recognizance, adding that “he is a first-time offender and has put in over 20 years in service. Given his honestly, I urge you, my Lord, to grant him bail on liberal terms.’’
Counsels to the second defendant, Ngbangba, as well as counsel to the third defendant, Nelson Imoh, also pleaded with the court to grant their clients bail on self-recognizance.
In his address, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that the first defendant had entered a plea bargain agreement with the Commission.
He said: “We received the sum of $115 million kept in the custody of Fidelity Bank Plc, which was subsequently converted to N23bn.
“Of this amount of money, it was alleged that the first defendant received a cash payment of N30, 000,000. 00 as Director and Administrative Secretary, INEC, Kwara State.
“The first defendant went to Fidelity Bank and signed for N264, 880,000. This was left in the bank in the custody of the third defendant who carried it in a Hilux bus and was making cash payment/withdrawals without going through any financial institutions.
“In the course of making the cash payments, the third defendant paid the first defendant the total sum of N30,000,000.00 cash.”
“Having demonstrated remorse and given useful information to aid the prosecution of the case, he has entered into an agreement to forfeit the properties to the Federal Government.
Accordingly, Justice Idris found the first defendant liable as charged on count seven but deferred the sentencing of the first defendant to May 7, 2017.
The first defendant was ordered to be remanded in the EFCC custody till the next adjourned date.
Justice Idris admitted both t the second and third defendants to bail in the sum of N50 million, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court.