A Federal High Court
sitting in Lagos, yesterday,
convicted and sentenced an
official of the Independent
National Electoral Commission,
INEC, Yisa Adedoyin, following a
plea bargain arrangement he
reached with the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
in the charge brought against
him, former Petroleum Resources
Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke
and two other officials of the
commission, Christian Nwosu and
Tijani Bashir.
They were alleged to have
conspired among themselves to
directly take possession of
N500.76 million, which formed
part of proceeds of unlawful act.
Trial judge is Justice Mohammed
Idris.
The plea bargain agreement is
dated May 2, 2017. The court
arrived at the decision after the
EFCC re-arraigned in absentia,
Alison-Madueke, alongside
Christian Nwosu and Tijani Bashir,
both staff of INEC.
In sentencing the convict, Justice
Idris held that “There is no doubt
that the second defendant is an
elderly man. It is also 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 plea bargain agreement
stated that,”Upon the conviction
of the second defendant, the
court should forfeit to the Federal
Government all that parcel of land
and its appurtenances measuring
100ft by 100, lying, being and
situate at Taoheed Road, Bufo-
Osho Village, Ilorin-South LGA,
Ilorin, Kwara State which property
was acquired and developed with
N23 million from the proceeds of
the 2nd defendant’s unlawful
acts.”
“That a fine N10 million is
proposed to this 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 million, the 2nd
defendant shall raise a draft of
the sum of N5 million in addition
to the sum of N5 million already
recovered from him vide the
attached draft.”
“That the court shall direct the
EFCC in whose name the draft of
N5 million 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
seven days after the payment of
the fine imposed by this court
enter into a bond with the EFCC
never to be involved in economic
and financial crimes within and
outside the shores of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.”
The EFCC had re-arraigned the
defendants over their alleged
involvement in money
laundering.
But they all pleaded not guilty to
the six count amended charge
made against them by the anti-
graft agency.
Prior to the re-arraignment of the
defendants, counsel to the EFCC,
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.
EFCC 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 will 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.


Source: www.vanguardngr.com

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