Voter cards: Four monarchs, 11 others arraigned in Kogi
Suleiman Bello
Four traditional rulers and 11 other suspects in Kogi State were on Tuesday arraigned by the police before a chief magistrate court in Lokoja, presided over by Levi Animaku for allegedly carting away some permanent voters’ cards presently being distributed by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The suspects who were arrested separately on Friday and Saturday include the following traditional rulers: The Okatama of Jamata, Ibrahim Mamud; The Ogidiga of Ohono, Alh Jubril Idris; The Ohiho of Gbaude; Mallam Shaibu Momoh, and The Ohiho of Iziho Mallam Musa Abu.
Others include Musa Amodu, Musa Adekeke, Salisu Musa, Gambo Audu and Yakubu Alli.
According to the police, the traditional rulers were charged for trying to truncate the 2015 general election, criminal conspiracy, screening offender, and theft contrary to section 97(e), 167, 287 of the penal code law.
But all the 15 accused however pleaded not guilty to the offences.
According to the prosecutor, one Buki Ezekiel of the B Police Division, Lokoja reported that the suspects attacked an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Onwajeheri Gabriel who was issuing permanent voters cards to members of the public at Ijiho Primary school.
According to him, the suspects conspired and forcefully carted away a carton containing some permanent voter cards.
He added that about 433 cards were later recovered by the police from the accused while 535 cards are still missing.
He pleaded with the chief magistrate to remand the suspects in prison giving the weight of their alleged offences and to enable the police tidy up investigation.
Mr. Moses Enwerem, who stood in for some of the accused opposed the prosecutor’s submission, saying the offences were bailable.
The trial magistrate, Levi Animaku, granted the accused bail each in the sum of N30,000 with a surety in the like sum and adjourned the case till June 23, for further mention.
