A federal high court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has remanded Dr. Terso Loko, the former chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), over alleged N1.1 billion fraud.
Loko, alongside 10 other individuals, was charged on 30 counts related to criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed the charges, accusing them of large-scale fraud during their time in office.
The individuals charged with Loko include: Kuleve Kelvin Terlumun, Serki Mtomga Manasseh, Ugbede Denen Ronald, Tatyough Thaddeus, Angwa Dominic Terhember, Uwua Benjamin Igbawua, Adese Asom, Orkuma Emmanuel Nyiusta, Owoicho Odeh and Mhir Iyenge.
The EFCC arrested Loko following a petition accusing him of embezzling funds allocated for the 2020 and 2022 local government elections in Benue State.
The petition states that large sums, N985,403,001.74 for 2020 and N680 million for 2022—were released for these elections. However, it is alleged that only N565,039,506 was utilized, leaving a significant sum of N1,100,363,594 unaccounted for.
One of the charges read in part: “That you, Dr. Tersoo Joseph Loko, whilst serving as Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, sometime in 2022 in Makurdi, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, abused your office by directly receiving a cash payment of N118,166,000 from BSIEC funds, which you diverted for your personal use, knowing or reasonably ought to have known that the money represented proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal misappropriation and abuse of public office.”
Another charge alleged that Loko similarly received and diverted N110,905,000 from BSIEC funds, violating the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges during their arraignment. Following this, EFCC’s counsel M.S. Yusuf urged the court to schedule a trial date so the prosecution could present its case.
In his ruling, Justice M.S. Abubakar granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50 million each, with one surety in like sum.
The judge stipulated that the sureties must possess a valid international passport, which must be deposited with the court registrar. Additionally, the defendants were ordered to submit their own passports to the court.
However, pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions, Justice Abubakar ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody.