Court convicts INEC official over money laundering

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday convicted an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yisa Olanrewaju Adedoyin and imposed N10 million fine as well as assets forfeiture on him.

His conviction was based on a plea bargain arrangement he reached with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The plea bargain agreement is dated May 2, 2017.

The judge arrived at the decision after the commission re-arraigned in absentia the immediate past Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, alongside three officials of INEC namely: Christian Nwosu, Yisa Olanrewaju and Tijani Bashir.

In sentencing Adedoyin, who is the second defendant, Justice Idris said: “There is no doubt that he 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.”

In the plea bargain agreement, it was stated that: “Upon the conviction of the second defendant, the court should forfeit to the Federal Government of Nigeria all that parcel of land and its appurtenances measuring 100ft by 100, lying, being and situated at Taoheed Road, Bufo-Osho Village, Ilorin, Kwara State, which property was acquired and developed with the sum of N23 million from the proceed of the second defendant’s unlawful acts.

“That a fine of N10 million is proposed to this court to be imposed on the second defendant upon his conviction on count four of the amended charge.

“That in paying the fine, the second 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 second defendant to transfer the value of the said draft to the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account of the Federation.

“The second 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.”