The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused a plea bargain agreement reached by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a convicted official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Christian Nwosu.
Nwosu pleaded guilty to receiving N30 million bribe from former Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke to rig the 2015 general election results.
EFCC arraigned him, Yisa Adedoyin and Tijani Bashir before Justice Mohammed Idris.
They allegedly collected N264.88 million bribe on March 27, 2015 from the minister ahead of the election.
Nwosu pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted for the offence of receiving N30 million bribe.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke, said to be at large, was named in the charge.
Prosecution counsel Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo said Nwosu opted for plea bargain.
The EFCC lawyer said Nwosu refunded N5 million and surrendered title document of a landed property he bought for N25 million in Delta State.
Justice Idris had convicted Nwosu following his guilty plea and adjourned to yesterday for sentencing.
The judge, however, said after going through the plea bargain agreement, he found that it was not commensurate with the offence as specified on the Money Laundering Act.
“A heavier sentence is more appropriate in the circumstances of this case,” he said.
EFCC agreed with Nwosu that he would forfeit a landed property measuring 100ft by 80 at Okotomi Layout, Obodogwugwu Quarters, Okpanam in Oshimili North in Delta State, which was acquired with the bribe money.
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