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an professional of the unbiased country wide electoral commission has informed a courtroom in lagos that he became pressured to confess receiving n30million from a former minister of petroleum, diezani alison-madueke.
one of the former officers of impartial country wide electoral commission (inec) being tried for alleged illegal gratification, christian nwosu, has informed the federal high court in ikoyi, lagos that he turned into compelled via operatives of the monetary and economic crimes fee to confess receiving n30 million from a former minister of petroleum, mrs. diezani alison-madueke, consistent with a report via sahara reporters.
in his testimony at some point of cross-examination, the embattled former inec body of workers stated an operative of the efcc, usman zakari, threatened to keep him in detention if he refused to write down in his statement what the operative could “want to hear”.
he said once zakari became capable of get him to mention that he accrued n30 million, he also dictated to him to write down identical in his assertion. nwosu went similarly to say that the operatives of efcc in organisation of armed mobile police then escorted him to the bank wherein he made a draft of n4 million inside the call of efcc before he turned into allowed his freedom.
“on the 28 of december, i was invited to efcc, interviewed via one mr. moses and that i made statements. he became approximately to permit me cross however he said his boss will want to see me. when mr. zakari came and study my assertion, he said no, i have now not written what he wants to pay attention and that he has signed my detention order shape and become going to detain me and that despite the fact that i bring 10 lawyers, they received’t assist me except i write what he dictate to me, he become going to hold me.
“he told me that adedoyin had admitted gathering n28million and became released; that being a senior officer, there has been no manner i wouldn’t have no longer have benefitted by using accumulating up to n30million (sic). he said until i said that i benefitted n30million, he might dump me within the mobile. i quick informed him i benefitted. he dictated to me that i ought to write it; i did.”
nwosu said zakari also requested him to convey every other draft of n1 million which made the coins accumulated from him n5 million. the nwosu additionally claimed that efcc prosecutor, rotimi oyedepo, advised zakari to preserve him in detention.
he said; “i knelt earlier than rotimi and he said: ‘baba rise up; i’ll handiest advice you to cooperates with us. he stated he might no longer want me to go through the stress of litigation. he asked if i had landed belongings and vehicles. he stated i should write out the property worth n30million that i had. he said he would make certain that i used to be convicted and jailed in any respect cost if i didn’t cooperate.”
but, zakari disputed the claims that nwosu’s assertion turned into accrued under duress or through any form of inducement. he said he took a hazard with the aid of granting nwosu bail on self-recognizance while the aged man pleaded with him that he had no one in lagos that may stand surety for him.
“mr. christian nwosu was invited to our office on december 28 2016. i had an interview with mr. nwosu in admire of the fee before this courtroom and he volunteered the statement. earlier than the declaration, he was requested if he wished a attorney which he said he become at ease to jot down a declaration. on the cease of volunteering his statement, he become given a bail circumstance to supply surety to take him on bail. the defendant pleaded with me that he does no longer know every body in lagos and based on that and as it was 3 days to new 12 months, i took a risk, gave him bail on self-recognizance.” zakari stated.
zakari advised the court docket that on 3 distinct events, he “took the hazard of granting nwosu bail on self-recognizance. however, he needed to detain him on his remaining visit to the efcc’s workplace due to the fact a price had already been desired in opposition to him and he had the obligation to provide him in court docket.
nwosu’s legal professional had contested the voluntariness of his declaration while prosecutors sought to smooth identical in courtroom as evidence inside the case. he stated his client became he changed into coerced, and precipitated through the fee to make the announcement that indicted him at the price. the allegation made the courtroom to order for an ordeal inside an ordeal to ascertain the voluntariness of nwosu’s assertion.
nwosu become stated to have acquired the money as a part of a n23 billion bribe allegedly exceeded with the aid of a former minister of petroleum sources diezani alison-madueke, to a few officials of the unbiased countrywide electoral commission (inec).
the accused and the third defendant, yisa adedoyin, had earlier pleaded guilty to gathering the money, and searched for a plea good deal association with efcc. but, nwosu dumped the plea good buy settlement while he decide’s rejection of the terms of the agreement.
adedoyin went beforehand with the plea bargain, pleaded responsible to one of the counts of receiving n70 million from alison-madueke’s alleged bribe and became sentenced thus.
nwosu turned into re-arraigned along every other inec workforce, tijani bashir, on an amended six-matter charge bordering on receiving gratification to the song of n265 million.