The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission has arraigned a member of the House of Representatives , Oghuma Egwakhide , for collecting N 1 . 6 m bribe from three contractors .
In the four- count filed before Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory , Jabi, the ICPC said the member who represents Etsako East /West /Central Federal Constituency , Edo State , in the National Assembly , allegedly collected the bribe from contractors handling school projects in the state .
The charge sheet revealed that Egwakhide , who had sponsored the construction of one block of three classrooms at Fugar Mixed Secondary School , Etsako Central Local Government Area, as part of his constituency project in 2018 , demanded kickbacks of 10 per cent from the N 16 . 5 m contract sum .
He was alleged to have collected N 1 . 6 m from Feola Ventures Nigeria Limited , the company handling the project , as bribe after the award of the contract by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing .
According to a statement on Thursday by the ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua , titled , ‘ ICPC arraigns House of Rep member , Egwakhide , over N 1 . 6 m bribe , ’ the commission told the court that the lawmaker ’ s actions amounted to receipt of gratification and abuse of office in violations of sections 10 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act , 2000 and punishable under the same act .
It read , “ Egwakhide pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him . His counsel , Samuel Sibiri ( SAN ) , prayed the court to grant him bail on self -recognizance.
“ The prayer was not opposed by the ICPC lawyer, Adesina Raheem . He , however , pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail in such terms that would effectively secure his attendance in court . ”
The trial judge consequently admitted him to bail in the sum of N 20 m with two sureties in like sum .
The sureties must be resident of the FCT and should be gainfully employed , the court said .
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