A witness, James Ojima-Oche, on Friday told a Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos that an NGO doled out the sum of N12.44 million that the Independent National Electoral Commission paid to Ad-hoc staff in Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State in the 2015 general elections.
Ojima-Oche, an Electoral Officer with INEC Office in Plateau State, made the disclosure before Justice Christine Dabup of High Court IV, while being led in evidence by the Prosecuting Counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, A.M. Ocholi.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Jonathan Azi-Nyako, former Director in Plateau State INEC Office, and Dr. Godwin Kwanga, former Plateau State Resident Electoral Commissioner are standing trial over alleged criminal conspiracy and corrupt disbursement of N163.9 million to INEC Ad-hoc staff in the 2015 general elections.
The anti-graft agency submitted that the actions of the duo were contrary to and punishable under sections 26(1)(c) and 9(1)(a)(b) of the Corrupt Practice and other related offences Act 2000.
Ojima-Oche said: “My lord, I was the Electoral Officer for Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau in 2015 elections, but shortly after the election, the Ad-hoc staffers encircled me demanding for payment of their unpaid allowances of N12.44 million.
“In fact they threatened me on the ground that others in other Local Government Areas have gotten theirs, but why should I delay their own.
“I had to travel to the Jos office and demanded for the money from our Head of Operations, Azi-Nyako, who is the 1st Defendant.
“But he gave me N7.84 million in the presence of Administrative Secretary and asked me to collect the balance of N4.6 million from one Mr. Musa.
“I called Musa on phone and he told me that he missed me in Langtang North and was on his way to back to Jos, where I was.
“So we agreed to meet on the way and we finally met in Mangu Town, where he gave me the balance of N4.6 million, totaling N12.44 million.”
Ojima-Oche said on getting the complete funds, he went on and paid the Ad-hoc staff and that no Kobo was given to him.
When Ocholi asked Ojima-Oche whether he was told about the source of that funds paid to the Ad-hoc staff, he said: “Yes my lord.
“I was told it was from a Non Governmental Organisation, but I didn’t benefit from it.”
But when asked during cross examination by the 1st Defence Counsel, Ayuba Yirvoms, whether the money paid to the Ad-hoc staff were earned allowances, he answered in confirmative: “Yes they were.”
Yirvoms further asked: “Were the allowances paid in order to influence the elections in favour of a particular political party?”
The witness said: “No it wasn’t to favour any political party.”
Another Prosecution Witness (PW6), Alhaji Ali Ibrahim, a Fidelity Bank official, told the court that as the Regional Head in charge of Operations in the Northern region, they received a mail from the bank’s Managing Director, Nnandi Okonkwo, instructing them to pay certain beneficiaries in all the states of the federation.
Ibrahim said: “The mail contained three names in each state across the federation who certain sum of money will be paid to.
“On receipt of the mail, one Mr. Martin and I designed the receipt of payment, which contained the names address, signature, dates, amount in words and in figure.
“We sent the design of payment with instructions to all Heads of Operations in all branches across the 36 States of the federation to enable them to effect payment to beneficiaries.”
But during cross examination by Yirvoms, Ibrahim claimed he didn’t know any of the two accused, but that their names were included among the three beneficiaries in Plateau.
After Ibrahim’s testimony, the prosecuting Counsel pleaded with the court for adjournment to enable him to bring his remaining witnesses and close his case.
Yirvoms and the 2nd defence Counsel, J.T. Atsor, did not object to the application.
Justice Dabup adjourned the case to June 24 and 26 for continuation of hearing.
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