- These are tough times for Barrister Emmanuel Jime in Benue state
- The APC governorship candidate has been dragged to court for alleged money laundering
- The law suit is coming barely 48 hours to the Benue state governorship run-off election
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue state, Mr. Terkula Ati, on Wednesday, March 20, dragged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Emmanuel Jime, to the Federal High Court, Makurdi, over allegation of money laundering and electoral fraud.
Also joined in the suit were Jime’s personal aide, Joseph Manasseh, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.
The applicant was seeking a court order on INEC and EFCC (3rd and 4th respondents) to immediately arrest and prosecute the 1st and 2nd respondents, Jime and Manasseh.
His action was contained in an affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte brought pursuant to Order 34 Rule (3) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court.
According to the applicant, during the conduct of the governorship election, “the 1st and 2nd respondents were apprehended by men of the 3rd and 4th respondents with millions of naira in bags inside the boot of a vehicle belonging to the 1st respondent in the North Bank area of Makurdi and driven by the 2nd respondent, which money was being used to buy votes and induce voters against the interest of the applicant on the day of election.”
He also alleged that; “the actions of the 1st and 2nd respondents are criminal offences prohibited by the Money Laundering Act and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).”
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Recall that on election day, EFCC operatives intercepted bags of cash meant for vote-buying at North Bank Area, Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
The anti-graft agency said in an attempt to arrest the culprits, some thugs attacked the agency's operatives and vandalised the bus used for patrol.
It was later discovered that the bags of cash belonged to Barrister Jime.
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