(CSNAC) has demanded investigation of
Senator Dino Melaye
- Senator Melaye had been alleged of bribing
judge over election tribunal
- The said report claimed that the alleged
corrupt communication between the duo was
captured on tape which has gone viral on
social media
The Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC),
which is a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption
organization, has urged the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC), to commence investigation
and prosecution of the lawmaker representing Kogi
West, Senator Dino Melaye, for alleged bribe of an Election Petition judge, Justice Akoh Ikpeme in 2015.
Sahara Reporters reports that CSNAC in a petition
signed by its chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, the
coalition urged the anti-graft commission to urgently
commence a high-powered investigation by a team
of forensic experts and investigators into these
allegations to assuage the growing diffidence of the citizens in the fight against corruption.
Newslanded gathered that the petition read: “An online based newspaper, SaharaReporters reported
and published a supposed voice conversation on the
30th day of May, 2017 of how Senator Dino Melaye
representing the Kogi West Senatorial District
compromised Justice Akoh Ikpeme, the tribunal judge
who handled his election petition case in 2015. The said report claimed that the alleged corrupt
communication between the duo was captured on
tape which has gone viral on social media.
Senator Dino Melaye and Justice Akon Ikpeme
“In the said recordings, which capture the
telephone conversation between Justice (Mrs) Akoh
and Mr. Melaye, at two different times, the judge is
overheard asking Mr. Melaye to give her a bribe in US
dollars. She also sought Mr. Melaye's assistance for a
person he repeatedly referred to as her ‘daughter’ secure a job at the Cross Rivers State
Ministry of Health, with the Senator reassuringly
bragging that he had already spoken to the State
Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade.
Newslanded had previously reported that Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West senatorial district allegedly recorded while agreeing to give out a bribe
in US dollars to a tribunal judge, Akoh Ikpeme.
“It is worth noting that sometime in 2016, Justice
Ikpeme dismissed a petition by Smart Adeyemi, Mr.
Melaye’s opponent at the 2015 Kogi West Senatorial
District election, in accordance with the plot of
reaffirming the alleged electoral infractions
associated with the emergence of Mr. Melaye, the election tribunal, in spite of the fact that only Senator
Melaye retained his seat as a Senator in the state, the
other two senators elected under same
circumstances as Mr. Melaye were nullified by the
tribunal.”
The coalition stated that in view of the gravity of the
allegations viz a viz the recent allegations of bribery
against the lawmaker, as evident in the voice
contained in the leaked audio recordings, “we urge
your Commission to urgently commence high-
powered investigation by a team of forensic experts and investigators into these allegations to assuage
the growing diffidence of the citizens in the fight
against corruption.
“Mr. Chairman sir, the seed of corruption that has
germinated into a forest of impunity, brigandage,
money laundering, abuse of office, electoral fraud
and violence, kidnapping and lawlessness are sowed
by similar situation of politicians compromising the
institution of justice and law enforcement agencies. The fight against corruption will remain deficient in
the face of unbridled electoral fraud and
manipulation,” CSNAC said.
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