The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned the duo of Garba Ismai’l, a staff of the College of Education Gumel, Jigawa State, and Auwal Jibrin, a Deputy Director at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Dutse, before Justice Ado Yusuf of the Jigawa State High Court sitting in Gumel on a seven-count charge of gratification.

Trouble began for them when their names came up in the ongoing investigation of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison Madueke, over the alleged $115,000,000 which she disbursed to several politicians and INEC officials on the eve of the 2015 presidential elections.

In the investigation, it was discovered that the accused persons received the sum of N45,000,000 from the former minister.

One of the charge read that “You Auwal Jibrin while being a public servant (Deputy Director, INEC Dutse) sometime in 2015, at Dutse within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonesty received the sum of N45,000,000 from Garba Ismai’l which you were not authorised to receive and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 122 of the Penal Code”.

When the charge was read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib requested for a trial date in view of the plea of the accused persons.

Counsel representing the second defendant Saidu Tudunwada pleaded with the court to admit his client to bail on humanitarian and compassionate ground, but Justice Yusuf refused the oral application and asked him to apply properly.

The case was subsequently adjourned to November 28, 2017 for hearing of bail application and commencement of trial.

The accused persons were remanded in prison custody pending the outcome of their bail application.

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