INEC AD-HOC WORKERS GET BAIL OVER ALLEGED POLLS FRAUD

By NBF News

AN Enugu Magistrate's Court sitting before Emma Nwaeru yesterday granted bail to three persons arraigned for unlawfully thumb-printing ballot papers meant for Saturday's National Assembly elections.

They include two female corps members who served as ad-hoc staff during exercise.

He also adjourned to May 2, possible hearing on the matter, while admitting each of the accused persons to bail with the sum of N5,000 in addition to a surety.

Each of the accused persons was also required to provide a large live picture fully endorsed alongside their surety, who will in addition provide evidence of tax payment for three years.

The two corps members - Arop Naomi Ebiem and Gloria Innocent - alongside Ikechukwu Umezude, an Electrical Electronics Engineering student of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, were arrested on Saturday at the Umuase Primary School Ward 11Ngwo in Enugu North Council, where they worked as INEC ad hoc staff, for allegedly thumb-printing over 100 sheets of ballot papers for the election in favour of one of the political parties.

Meanwhile, the court also yesterday remanded in prison custody one Matthias Idoko Eleojo from Kogi State said to have been caught with illegal firearms at Agbani on the eve of Saturday elections, which he said was assigned to him by an honorable member for use during the election.

When the accused persons were arraigned in court yesterday, they pleaded not guilty to the two-count charges brought against them.