INEC Staffs Arrested For Stealing PVCs In Port Harcourt

Two Staff of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) identified as of Monday Ifiesimama and Beesor Sorle, were on Thursday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt for alleged electoral offences.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Darlington Ogolo, was also arraigned alongside the INEC officials.

Ifiesimama and Sorle were accused of attempting to steal 3,097 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and selling them to Ogolo.

Ogolo, on his part, was accused of bribing Messrs Ifiesimama and Sorle with the sum of N300,000 and N120,000 respectively as payment for the PVCs between May and August 2018.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations and Chief Magistrate S.D. Andrew-Jaja admitted them to bail in the sum of N100, 000 each.

One Philemon Lawrence, 25, who allegedly paraded himself as INEC official,was also arraigned. He was accused of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public after promising his victims jobs as INEC ad hoc staff.

The SSS alleged that the accused person collected N3, 800 each from members of the public after advertising his bank account online. Andrew-Jaja also admitted him to bail in the sum of N300,000 with surety in like sum. 📷: NANS