An Enugh High Court has sentenced the
Registrar of a Magistrate’s Court in Enugu State, Anikwu Ifesinachi, to
three years jail without an option of fine, for demanding bribe.
According to a statement from the
spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related
Offences Commission, Mr. Folu Olamiti, Justice A. A. Nwobodo convicted
him after finding him guilty of contravening section 10 (a) (ii) of the
ICPC Act, 2000.
Ifesinachi was accused of demanding N80,
000.00 bribe from the relation of a suspect before he would process the
warrant of release of the suspect who had been in custody for about two
years.
The statement said, “After persistent
demand, the relation approached ICPC and the Commission gave him marked
money. As soon as the accused collected the money from the relation, he
was arrested by the operatives of the ICPC.
“Consequently, the accused was charged on
two counts for demanding and receiving bribe under the ICPC Act in the
High Court of Enugu,” it added.
The ICPC in the charge stated that
“Ifesinachi ‘m’ on or about June 2010, whilst being the clerk of the
Magistrate Court, Awgu, received the bribe purportedly for Chief
Magistrate J.S Ede of the same Magistrate’s Court, before the warrant of
one Maduabuchi Oji could be processed.”
In the course of the trial, the
prosecution called three witnesses and tendered some exhibits while the
accused gave evidence without calling any witness.
In his defence, the registrar claimed to
have collected the money on behalf of the complainants whom he did not
call as a witness.
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