APC Chieftain Sentenced to Prison for Engaging in Vote Buying

Wahab Hammed, a ward leader for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state’s Surulere Local Government Area, has been convicted by the Lagos High Court, located in Ikeja, to a year in prison or, alternatively, a fine of N1 million.

Sentence was imposed on the defendant by Justice Ismail Ijelu following his conviction on two counts of conspiracy and bribery.

The defendant and one Segun Ijitola, who is currently at large, conspired on February 25, 2023, to corruptly pay bribes to voters during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections, according to the EFCC Prosecutor Samuel Daji, who testified in court during the defendant’s arraignment on Wednesday.

According to Daji, the defendant committed the crime in Surulere’s Unit 28 of Gbaja Girls Junior High School.

Sections 121 (1) and (5) as well as Section 121 (1) and 1 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022 are violated by the offences.

After the defendant entered a guilty plea, the court postponed the case until Thursday, December 7th, to allow the prosecution’s attorney to analyse the case’s facts in preparation for a conviction and sentencing.

Daji, the EFCC’s legal representative, submitted the statement of the review of the prosecution’s facts against the defendant to the court during the hearings on Thursday.

Daji further stated to the court, “The EFCC officers received an intelligence report that certain individuals were involved in vote buying and bribery at Polling Unit 28 located at Gbaja Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, while on election monitoring duties during the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Election held on the 25th of February 2023.

“EFCC agents assigned to election observation tasks were sent to the location upon receipt of the intelligence.

“The voters engaged in vote buying fled when the operatives were spotted, but the defendant was taken into custody with N121,000 in N500 notes.

“The exhibit was delivered to the EFCC’s Ikoyi headquarters for his inspection. During the interview, he identified himself as the APC ward leader in Unit F3 of Surulere, Lagos, and admitted that the money came from Hon. Segun Ijitola, a Senior Special Assistant to the Chairman of Surulere Local Government.

“He acknowledged that he had given some of the money to people who fled in order to buy people’s votes for his party, the All Progressives.

Additionally, he acknowledged that he had used some of the funds. He acknowledged these facts in voluntary remarks that spanned at least two pages. Additionally, he acknowledged that the money recovered on him is ready to be turned over to the Federal Government as proceeds of illegal activity.

The money that was taken from the defendant was also admitted as exhibit by the court along with the defendant’s statements.

Additionally, the prosecutor asked the court to acknowledge the facts as they were given, find the defendant guilty, and order the exhibit forfeited to the federal government as profits of crime.

The defendant, for his part, reaffirmed his guilty plea and acknowledged that he understood the facts as they were given by the prosecutor through an interpreter.

Justice Ijelu found the defendant guilty and convicted him based on his satisfaction that he knew the facts examined against him and that he meant to accept them.

The accused asked for forgiveness. “I have never been arrested,” he declared to the judge. I wouldn’t be in this predicament if it weren’t for the national circumstances. I’m older than seventy. If it weren’t for this situation, I was scheduled to have surgery last Saturday. I am unfit, have high blood pressure, an ulcer, and urine incontinence. Since my arrest, I have not been well, and I beg the court to pardon me.

If my kids were successful and employed, I wouldn’t be in this predicament. My six well-educated children’s mother has passed away and is tardy.

In his remarks, Mr. Olaniyi Ademola, the defendant’s attorney, requested that the court take note of his client’s voluntary decision to enter a guilty plea. In addition, he mentioned that the client was a first-time offender with no prior convictions.

Justice Ijelu reminded the defendant’s attorney in his sentence that he has an obligation to society to tell his clients the truth. He emphasised to those involved that nation-building requires cooperation from all.

“The defendant has further entrenched himself in the mess that led to his children not having jobs by turning to crime,” he stated. Is that how it works?

“The court has heard the convict’s testimony, which states that he is a first-time offender with no prior criminal history. He seems to be regretting it as well.

“Anyone who advances or pays or causes to be paid any money to any person with the intent that such money shall be expended in bribery at any election, commits an offence and is liable on conviction of a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months, or both,” according to S. 121 (1) (c) of the Electoral Act 2022, under which the convict was charged.

The court may use its discretionary powers under this clause. The court determines that the convicted party bears a great deal of responsibility, and the harm caused by his actions is substantial. The court did not see any reason to hold him aggravating.

The court takes into account the fact that the defendant is a first-time offender, entered a guilty plea, and has no prior convictions when reducing the sentence.

Without a doubt, the importance of sanitising our political process cannot be overstated. The court believes that, given the convict’s guilty plea, a non-custodial sentence will serve as a deterrent to his future misbehaviour.

As a result, Alhaji Wahab Olaniyi Hammed is found guilty on both of the two charges against him and faces a one-year prison sentence with a 500,000 option. He will give the FG back the money he made from the crime.

“He will also make a written commitment to the EFCC to uphold good behaviour at all times and to never commit a crime again.”