The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said that no pregnant woman is among the suspects being held in its custody on the suspicion of vote buying in connection with the just-concluded gubernatorial election held in Ekiti State.

The Commission said it was disturbed by reports that a pregnant woman, nursing mother and others were among those being detained by the anti-graft agency, when there were no such individuals in its custody.

A statement made available to Vanguard on Monday by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, made it clear that there was no iota of truth in the claim alleging that such persons were in its custody.

Wilson however claimed that the pregnancy tests conducted on the females arrested in connection with the alleged vote buying offence proved negative before they were taken into detention.

The statement said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to some reports in a section of the media, alleging that the Commission is detaining “a pregnant woman, nursing mother, others, over vote – buying”, consequent on some arrests made in the wake of the recent governorship election in Ekiti State.

“The Commission wishes to state that there is no iota of truth in the reports. There is no pregnant woman among the suspects arrested on allegation of vote buying during the Ekiti governorship election. A pregnancy test conducted on all female suspects arrested during the Ekiti governorship poll at the Kwara State Hospital, Ilorin, returned negative. Earlier tests conducted in a private hospital also came out negative for all the female suspects.

Furthermore, it is important to stress that all the suspects, male and female, are being held, based on a valid order of the court, pending the conclusion of investigations.

The spokesman said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are finalized. (Vanguard)

Update news