A Human rights group, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently probe Senator Dino Melaye’s alleged involvement in bribery of a high court judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme.
A Human rights group, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently probe Senator Dino Melaye’s alleged involvement in bribery.
An online news portal, had on Tuesday released an audio clip where a judge, identified as Justice Akon IKPEME , allegedly asked for a bribe in dollars from Melaye.
Justice Ikpeme was the judge in an election petition between Melaye and Senator Smart Adeyemi of the Peoples Democratic Party. The petition was dismissed in 2016.
In the said audio, the high court judge also sought Mr. Melaye’s assistance for a person he repeatedly referred to as her ‘daughter’ to secure a job at the Cross River State Ministry of Health.
In a petition signed by its chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, the group, on Thursday, urged the EFCC to urgently commence a high-powered investigation by a team of forensic experts into the allegation.
The Human rights group stated that “the fight against corruption would remain deficient in the face of unbridled electoral fraud and manipulation if nothing was done.”
Meanwhile, sources close to the Senator contacted by vigil360 disclosed that Melaye has refuted bribing the judge and claimed that the voice recording is fake.
