A Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja, today sentenced a 70 year old man, electoral offender, Wahab Hammed to one year imprisonment for vote buying.
The court presided over by Justice Ismail Ijelu, handed down the judgement to Hammed, an All Progressives Congress (APC) ward leader in Surulere following the review of the fact in the case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he pleaded guilty to the charge on Wednesday.
The anti-graft agency had arraigned the convict of allegation of vote buying and bribery contrary to the provision of Sections 121 (1) and (5); 121 (1) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Samuel Daji told court that suspected vote buyers had on February 25 conspired with one Segun Ijitola who is still at large, to pay voters during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
Daji told court that they committed the offence at Unit 28, Gbaja Girls Junior High School, Surulere, said they bribed voters at the unit.
However, at the resumed proceeding for reviewing of fact and sentence, the court directed the interpreter to interpret for Hammed as the prosecution reviewed the fact of the case as the suspect claimed he does not understand English language or pidgin.
The prosecutor, Daji said while the commission officers on election monitoring duties were at Surulere, Lagos during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Election held on the 25th February,2023, they received intelligence report about the activities of individuals engaging in vote buying and bribery at polling unit 28, located at Gbaja Girls High School Surulere area of Lagos State.
He said, ” After the receipt of the intelligence, a team of operatives were dispatched to the polling unit and the defendant was seen sharing money to bribe voters of his party. On citing the operatives of the Commission, the voters ran away, while the defendant was arrested with the sum of #121,000.00.
“The defendant was brought to the Commission’s office located at 15A Awolowo Road Ikoyi Lagos with the exhibit. He was interviewed and he made voluntary statements where he stated that he is a ward leader of APC in Unit F3 Surulere, Lagos.
” He confessed that the money found with him was giving to him by one Hon. Seun Ijtola who is a Senior Special Assistant to Chairman Surulere Local Government to bribe voters to vote for their party APC. He confessed that he had bribed a few voters before he was arrested, and the money was in 500 naira denomination.”
Justice Ijelu however asked the defendant if he actually understands the facts reviewed against him by the prosecutor counsel, the fefendant answered in affirmative.
The judge therefore found him guilty and convicted him.
Before the sentence, the defendant, (Alhaji Wahab Olaniye Hammed) pleaded for mercy in tears.
He said, “milord am an old man above 70s, I have never been arrested and I have no criminal case or record. Am also set for surgery slated for Saturday. Since I was arrested and detained, I have not been feeling fine. I battle with high blood pressure and ulcer.”
He further pleaded that at his age, he would not have been involved in such act if his children were employed.
The defendant counsel, Mr Olabiyi Ademola also pleaded that he has been remorseful and regret his action. Pleaded not to involve in any of such act again or any criminal act.
The judge therefore sentenced him to one year imprisonment. He however gave him an option of #500,000.00 in each for the two counts charge against him.
