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Bail Granted But Court Remands Three More INEC Officials In Kirikiri For 'Receiving 177.3m Bribe'

They were accused of taking a bribe of N177.3 million on March 30, during the build-up of the last general election.

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Kirikiri Prison.

Justice Chuka Obiozor gave the order on Monday after granting bail on the sum of N100million and sureties in like sum.

The defendants — Gbadegun Abiodun, Oladipo Oladapo and Afolabi Albert — attached to the Osun State office of INEC were on August 1, 2018 arraigned by EFCC, on five-count charges.

The judge said the surety must own a landed property in Lagos State and must show evidence of tax payment in the last three years.

They were accused of taking a bribe of N177.3 million on March 30, during the build-up to the last general election.

The anti-graft agency alleged that they handled the cash without going through any financial institution in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

But the defendant pleaded not guilty, following which Justice Chuka Obiozor ordered that they should be remanded in the prison custody.

At the Monday proceedings, the defence counsel, Ayo Aladesanmi, who filed bail applications for his clients, urged the judge to admit them to bail in liberal terms.

However, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, G.G. Chi-Yakua, opposed the bail applications, contending that if admitted to bail the defendants would interfere with and compromise the prosecution witnesses.

However, Justice Obiozor granted each bail but ordered that they be remanded in prison custody until bail conditions are met.

Justice Obiozor, who is a vacation judge, said the case filed would be returned to the administrative judge for re-assignment to another judge after vacation.