2023 Polls: Court sentences vote buyer to 1 year imprisonment

An Ikeja High Court in Lagos State sentenced Wahab Hammed to one year imprisonment for vote-buying during the presidential and national assembly elections held on Feb. 25.

Justice Ismail Ijelu sentenced Hammed to one year imprisonment and a fine option of N500,000 on each of the two counts preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge had asked the defendant if he actually understood the facts reviewed against him by the prosecution counsel, and the defendant answered in the affirmative.

The judge, therefore, found Hammed guilty and convicted him following the review of the facts in the case after Hammed pleaded guilty to the charge on Wednesday.

The anti-graft agency had alleged that the 70-year-old convict and an alleged All Progressives Congress (APC) leader were involved in vote-buying and bribery, contrary to the provisions of Sections 121 (1) and (5) and 121 (1) and (3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Samuel Daji, told the court that the suspected vote buyer had on Feb. 25 conspired with one Segun Ijitola, who is still at large, to pay voters during the 2023 polls.

Daji told the court that they committed the offence at Unit 28, Gbaja Girls Junior High School, Surulere.

However, at the resumed proceeding for reviewing facts and sentences, the court directed the interpreter to interpret for Hammed as the prosecution reviewed the facts of the case, as he claimed not to understand English or pidgin.

The prosecutor, Daji, said that while the commission’s officers on election monitoring duties were at Surulere on Feb. 25, they received intelligence about the activities of individuals engaging in vote-buying and bribery at Polling Unit 28.

He said: “Following an intelligence report, 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 N121,000.

“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 given to him by one Hon. Seun Ijitola, who is a senior special assistant to the Chairman, Surulere Local Government, to bribe voters to vote for their party.

“He confessed that he had bribed a few voters before he was arrested, and the money was in 500 naira denomination,” Daji states.

Before the sentence, the defendant pleaded for mercy in tears.

He said, "Milord, I am an old man above 70; I have never been arrested, and I have no criminal case or record.

"I am also set for surgery slated for Saturday. Since I was arrested and detained, I have not been feeding well. I battle with high blood pressure and ulcers.”

He further pleaded that, at his age, he would not have been involved in such an act if his children were employed.

The defence counsel, Mr. Olabiyi Ademola, also pleaded that the defendant had been remorseful and regretted his action, adding that the defendant would not be involved in any such criminal act again.