Ex-Appeal Court Justice arrested for alleged N200m bribe
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mohammed Tsamiya, for allegedly demanding N200 million bribe.
The anti-graft commission said the retired justice demanded the bribe from one Mr. Nnamdi Orji, in exchange for a favourable judgment in a National Assembly election case at the Imo division of the court.
A statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, said the offence, which violates Section 10 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, was committed in 2015.
It said: “The retired Justice asked Orji, who was the candidate for All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, to give him N200 million to influence the court’s decision in his favour.
“Orji had approached the court to seek redress in a case involving alleged inflation of the result of election in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia, which he had earlier lost to his opponent, Mr. Nkole Ndukwe, at the National Assembly Election Tribunal.
“Tsamiya was alleged to have convinced the appellant of getting a favourable judgment from the court upon the payment of the money.”
Okoduwa said Tsamiya had since been granted bail by the commission after fulfilling the conditions, adding that investigation into the case continued.