The Department of State Services (DSS) is set to arraign Sulaiman Ikhuoriah, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and one other for their alleged involvement in electoral fraud in the 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami charged Ikhuoriah and Olugbenga Omotiloye for having falsified results in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate against the All Progressives Congress and its candidate in the elections held in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo state.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court will on Tuesday sit over the matter, which was investigated by the Edo state Command of the DSS following the Federal Ministry of Justice request for the DSS to present the defendants in court on Tuesday before Justice Y. Halilu.
The DSS is accusing Ikhuoriah, for serving as the collation officer for ward 6 in Saint Maria Gorreti Secondary School, Benin and Omotiloye of allegedly serving as an electoral officer at Bishop Kelly, beside St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin City.
A Principal State Counsel in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, who filed the charges stated in the case summary filed in court that the defendants were invited for interrogation on February 27, 2019 and March 5, 2019 following a petition by the member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma.
The prosecution alleged that Ikhuoriah without lawful excuse acted in breach of his official duty by placing a call to the petitioner, Rep. Agbonayinma and requested gratification for the purpose of delivering his ward to his party during the elections.
Ikhuoriah was said to have erroneously made the call, thinking he was discussing with the PDP chairman, not knowing that Rep. Agbonayinma, whom he was having the conversation with, was of the APC.
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The defendant was also accused of receiving N100, 000 as bribe for delivering the ward for the PDP’s candidate in the election. The offences are punishable under Section 124 (b) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
Also, the prosecution alleged that Omotiloye, while serving as INEC electoral officer held a meeting with one Ise-Edehen and collected the sum of N100, 000 as gratification.
The sum collected on March 2 was said to be in appreciation of his effort in ensuring that PDP won the election during the February 23 National Assembly polls in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo state
“My Lord, the summary of this case is electoral malpractices, perpetrated by the defendants who were the INEC collation officer and INEC electoral officer respectively during the February 23, 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections in Ikpoba-Okha Local Ggovernment Area, Edo state.
“The defendants have acted in breach of their official duties by been involved in electoral malpractices including bribery and conspiracy,” the prosecution submitted.
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