The police on Monday arraigned Joachim Oni and Momoh Abdulrahman, accused of taking pictures and recording the electoral process on video during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, at an Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The police charged Oni, who lives at Offa garage, Ilorin and Abdulrahman of Ello, Emirs road, Ilorin , with criminal conspiracy and misconduct during the elections.
The Prosecutor, Mr A.A Aladejore, told the court that on February 28, one Lt. N. Shehu of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, transferred the two defendants to the Department of Public Prosecution for further investigation.
Aladejore said that based on the report by the Nigeria Army “Operation Safe Conduct 2019’’on February 23, the defendants were arrested at Baruten Local Government area of the state.
He said that the two defendants were caught taking pictures and making video recording of the electoral process during the Presidential and National Assembly elections at Gure town.
“The act is aimed at causing disorderly conduct during the election within the area,’’ the prosecutor said.
He said that discreet investigation conducted by the department revealed that the defendants were allegedly employed by one Zakari Mohammed, a senatorial candidate in Kwara North senatorial district.
“The defendants did video recording and took photographs of the electoral processes without being accredited by the appropriate authorities to do so.
“One Sony HDV 10801 Video camera with two Panasonic Mini cassettes, One Nikon camera and one Mini HP Laptop being used by the defendants to illegally record the electoral process were recovered from them,’’ Aladejore said.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of section 97 of Penal Code and Section 128 of the Electoral Act 2010.
The prosecutor said that investigation was still ongoing.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr A.I Dasuki, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties each in like sum.
Dasuki ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant of not below Grade Level 06.
He adjourned the case until April 1, for mention.
(NAN)
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