The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has filed cyber fraud charges against two lawyers for allegedly rigging the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2018, national elections.
In a report by The Nation newspaper, on Monday, The EFCC accused – Sarah Ajibola, and John Demide, with 14 counts before the Federal High Court in Lagos State.
The defendants were also accused of manipulating the election in favour of incumbent NBA President, Paul Usoro.
Mr Usoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had emerged the president of the NBA after he polled 4,509 votes to defeat his other contenders, Okafor Obi, and Ernest Ojuwkwu, who got 4, 423 as well as 3, 313 votes in the election.
However, one of the contestant in the election, Mr Ojukwu, a law professor, had condemned the election saying it was characterised by fraud.
The lawyer said he “contested against corruption, massive vote buying, vote capture, rigging, and a skewed process.”
EFCC, in its charges, in the suit marked FHC/L/118c/2020, signed by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the accused allegedly altered 1004 eligible voters’ personal details and cast votes for Mr Usoro by impersonating voters.
The anti-graft agency also accused the duo of fraudulently using the Supreme Court Enrolment Numbers of some lawyers to vote “with the intent of gaining an electoral advantage in favour of Mr Usoro.”
The EFCC said their offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 under the same section.”
Part of the Charges read as follows;
“That you, Sarah Omeigha Ajibola and John Ozovehe Demide sometime in August 2018, knowingly altered the email addresses and phone numbers of about 1004 eligible voters of the NBA 2018 National elections and… thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 13 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“Count 4: “That you, John Ozovehe Demide sometime on the 19th of August 2018, within the Jurisdiction of this court fraudulently used the unique identification features such as Name and Supreme Court Enrolment Number SCN043280 of one Gabriel Abijo Oladipo to vote as the same Gabriel Abijo Oladipo through your Smile modem on IP address 169.159.65.190, to vote with the intent of gaining an electoral advantage in favour of Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN) who was one of the Presidential Aspirants during the 2018 Nigerian Bar Association elections and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 under the same section.”
