Strange: Three Anambra INEC Staff Charged To Court Over Theft of Permanent Voters Cards

           

It was strange but real as odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com reports that three  staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Awka, Anambra state have been charged to court in connection with theft of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, for some communities in Ogbaru local government area, including, all the PVCs for Akili-Ogidi/Obeagwe ward.

The same happened in many other localities but the pepertrators were not caught and they went scot free until that of the Akili-Ogidi/Obeagwe ward was discovered.

The member representing Ogbaru federal constituency in the House of Representatives and deputy chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene is from the community.

It was a cock and bull story but it went thus hoodlums  on September 2, 2014 at night broke into the INEC office at Atani, headquarters of Ogbaru local government area and carted away PVCs for some communities in the area with the most affected areas identified as Hon Ogene’s strongest support base. Ogene is seeking re-election in the next year's general elections.

  The three INEC staff charged to court in connection with the bugglary/theft were the security staff of the commission on duty in the night the incident took place. The names of the accused arraigned at Atani Margistrate Court 2 were: Anene Nwokedi, aged 46, Victor Okei (38) and Fredrick Ijoma, aged 43.

 According to the charge sheet No.MGB/140/2014, the accused persons were charged for "office breaking and stealing thereby committed an offence punishable under section 495(a) of Criminal Code Cap.36, Vol.1, revised law of Anambra state of Nigeria, 1991 as amended".

 They were further charged for breaking and entering into the office of the Electoral Officer, EO, an offence punishable under section 381 of the same Criminal Code and for stealing "some quantities of Permanent Voters Cards(P.V.Cs) totaling about 8,367 belonging to some communities in Ogbaru local government area ...properties of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed offence punishable under section 353(5) of the same Criminal Code".

 The accused were also charged under section 81 of the Criminal Code  for negligence and failing to prevent the carting away of the PVCs.

 Chief Magistrate Nwabasili after the charge were read to the accused persons by the police Prosecutor who pleaded not guilty to the charges granted them bail and adjourned the case to November 5, 2014 for further hearing on the case.