Two INEC staff in court for electoral offences

Two staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Monday Ifiesimama and Beesor Sorle were on Thursday arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) before a Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt for alleged electoral offences.

Also arraigned alongside the INEC officials was Darlington Ogolo.

The two INEC staff 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.

According to the prosecuting Counsel Mr. Calistus Eze, 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.

Eze said that the offence also violated Section 120 (1) (d) and Section 117 (1) (e) of the Electoral Act 2010.

When the charges were read the accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

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.