The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Emmanuel Jime is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over money laundering and vote-buying charges.
This is sequel to an application of writ of mandamus directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the EFCC to arrest and prosecute the governorship candidate and his personal driver over money laundering and electoral offences.
The suit which was filed yesterday at the Federal High, Makurdi court by Barrister Daniel Sorkaa on behalf of his client, Ati Terkula, the EFCC had on the 9th of March 2019, apprehended one Joseph Mannaseh with freshly minted money running into millions of naira in a vehicle belonging to Mr Emmanuel Jime for the purpose of vote buying and inducement of voters.
The petition reads in part, “During the conduct of the election, the 1st and 2nd respondents were apprehended by men of the 4th respondents with MILLIONS OF NAIRA in bags inside the boot of a vehicle belonging to the 1st respondents and driven by the 2nd respondent which money was used to buy votes and induce voters against the interest of the applicant on the day of elections.”
The application further claims that Jime and Mannaseh had committed criminal offences prohibited by the Money Laundering Act and Electoral Act, 2011 (as amended).
The case mandating the prosecution of Jime further accuses the EFCC and INEC of neglecting their official duty by failing to prosecute the duo.
It could be recalled that on the day of the governorship election, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission did announce the arrest of a man who it said works for the governorship candidate of the APC, Emmanuel Jime with huge sums of money found in his vehicle.
It was further gathered that the operatives were unable to effect seizure of the money as the candidate had mobilized armed thugs who attacked the EFCC and even destroyed a bus men of the Commission used for the operation.
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