An Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday ordered the remand of an Independent National Electoral Commission official in Idemili North, Anambra State, Chukwujekwu Okeke, in police custody.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Usman Shuaibu, gave the order after Okeke was arraigned on a one count of dereliction of duty contrary to section 123 (1) (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act, 2010.
The INEC official will be remanded until December 2, when the court will consider his bail application.
The police force, which arraigned Okeke, is expected to conclude its investigations into the offence before December 2.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr. Stanley Nwodo, a Deputy Superintendent of Police from the Force Criminal Investigation Division, had informed the court that on November 16, the INEC official unlawfully breached his official duties at Idemili North Local Government Area, where he was deployed.
Okeke was accused of deliberately withholding electoral materials designed for the elections, thereby, breaching electoral procedures.
The prosecutor asked the court to give the police 14 days to enable it to complete investigations into the matter.
Defence counsel, Mr. Daniel Nwogbodo, thereafter asked the court to grant his client bail.
Punch
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