The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Dr. Tersoo Loko, alongside 10 other defendants before the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi over an alleged N1.1 billion fraud linked to local government election funds.
Dr. Loko and his co-defendants, Kuleve Terlumun, Serki Manasseh, Denen Ronald, Tatyough Thaddeus, Dominic Terhember, Benjamin Igbawua, Adese Asom, Orkuma Nyiusta, Owoicho Odeh and Mhir Iyenge, were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Abubakar on a 30-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly diverted funds released for the conduct of the 2020 and 2022 local government elections in Benue State. The anti-graft agency disclosed that a total of N1,665,403,100 was released for both exercises, but only N565,039,506 was reportedly utilised, leaving N1,100,363,594 unaccounted for.
The Commission stated that its Makurdi Zonal Directorate arrested Dr. Loko following a petition accusing him of abuse of office and diversion of election funds. The EFCC alleged that while N985,403,001.74 was released for the 2020 election and N680 million for the 2022 election, substantial portions of the funds were diverted for personal use.
One of the charges read in court alleged that Dr. Loko, while serving as BSIEC chairman in 2022, received N118,166,000 from commission funds and knowingly diverted the money for personal purposes. Another count accused him of similarly diverting N110,905,000 in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, EFCC counsel, M. Yusuf, requested a trial date, stating that the prosecution was prepared to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Abubakar granted each defendant bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety, ordering the deposit of their international passports with the court registrar. Pending fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were remanded in custody.
