Two former staff members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for misappropriation and breach of trust.
They were arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice Mahmoud Abdul-Gafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The convicts, Christian Nwosu and Tijani Inda Bashir, were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation and criminal breach of trust while they were in the employment of INEC.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them, thereby leading to their full trial.
During the trial, the prosecution led by Rotimi Oyedepo called witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.
However, in the face of the overwhelming evidence against them, the convicts, thereafter, opted for a plea bargain with the prosecution and also changed their pleas to “guilty”.
Consequently, the prosecution reviewed the facts before the court and prayed that the defendants be convicted accordingly.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Abdul-Gafar found them guilty of the offence and sentenced them to one-year imprisonment each.
The Judge also ordered the final forfeiture of two landed property valued at N25m at Okpanam, Asaba in Delta State recovered from the first convict, Nwosu, as well as a N5m bank draft raised by him in favour of the commission to the federal government.
Justice Abdul-Gafar also ordered the final forfeiture of a four-bedroom flat worth N27m at No. 60 Umme Street, Wuse, Abuja recovered from the second convict, Inda-Bashir, to the federal government.
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