Court sentences INEC official based on plea bargain agreement with EFCC

Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday convicted and sentenced an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yisa Olarenwaju Adedoyin following a plea bargain arrangement he reached with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Judge in sentencing the defendant, noted that the defendant was an elderly man.

“It is not in contention that the second defendant is a first time offender. This court will tamper Justice with mercy.

“The court hereby adopts the plea bargain agreement as the judgment of the court,” the Judge ruled.

In the plea bargain agreement, Yisa agreed to forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria a parcel of land and its appurtenances measuring 100ft by 100, situated at Taoheed Road, Bufo-Osho Village, Ilorin-South Local Government Area, Ilorin, Kwara State which was acquired and developed with the sum of N23, 000,000.00 (Twenty Three Million Naira) from the proceeds of the unlawful acts.

“That a fine N10, 000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) is proposed to this honourable court to be imposed on the 2nd defendant upon his conviction on count 4 of the amended charge.

“That in paying the fine of the sum of N10, 000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira), the 2nd defendant shall raise a draft of the sum of N5, 000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) in addition to the sum of N5, 000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) already recovered from him vide the attached draft.

“That the honourable court shall direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in whose name the draft of N5, 000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) was raised by the 2nd defendant to transfer the value of the said draft to the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account of the Federation.

“The 2nd defendant shall within 7 days after the payment of the fine imposed by this Honourable Court enter into a bond with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission never to be involved in economic and financial crimes within and outside the shores of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the terms of the sentencing reads.

When the defendants, Adedoyin, Christian Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir, were rearraigned onWednesday, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo had informed Justice Idris that the 2nd defendant, Olarenwaju had indicated his intention to change his plea from not guilty to guilty plea and also reached a plea bargain arrangement with the commission.

Oyedepo further informed the judge that the anti-graft agency had filed the 2nd amended charge, with a prayer that same should be accepted and read to the defendants for them to take their pleas.

It would be recalled that at the last hearing on the matter, Justice Idris had thrown out an earlier plea bargain arrangement reached at by the then convicted 1st defendant, Christian Nwosu over allegation of money laundering with the anti-graft agency which he had earlier pleaded guilty to.

The judge had clearly maintained that the plea bargain arrangement cannot save the convict from serving a stiffer sentence.

It is recalled that the Commission had dragged the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, alongside the three officials of INEC over their alleged involvement in money laundering.

But the former Petroleum minister according to the Commission is still at large.

As at the time officials were forst arraigned before Justice Idris, Nwosu had pleaded guilty to the charges, while Adedoyin and Bashir pleaded not guilty to the same charges.

But the Judge had disapproved the plea bargain arrangement he made with the EFCC adding that the defendant should get a stiffer sentence.

The matter has been adjourned until May 15, 2017, for counsels to return to address the court as to whether the case should be transfered to another judge for it to start afresh.

According to the charge; FHC/L/106c/2017, the anti-graft agency made an allegation that the INEC officials together with Alison-Madueke on March 27, 2015, conspired among themselves to directly take possession of a total sum of N500, 760 million, which formed parts of proceeds of unlawful act.

Specifically, the anti-graft agency pointed accusing fingers at Tijani Inda Bashir of taking possession of a sum to the tune of N164, 880 million, which forms part of the proceeds of unlawful act, as gratification.

On the other hand, Yisa Olanrewaju and Christian Nwosu were said to have gotten the sum of N70, 050 million and N30 million respectively from Tijani Inda Bashir, without going through financial institutions.