The Akwa Ibom State High Court 4 sitting in Uyo has adjourned the case involving Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Professor Ignatius Uduk, accused of electoral fraud.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Archibong Archibong adjourned the case to Wednesday and Thursday, January 13 and 14, 2021 for indefinite hearing following the inability of Counsel to INEC, Kpoobari Sigalo, to include the witness’ statement in the file submitted to the court.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Akwa Ibom State had arraigned Professor Uduk in court for allegedly declaring and publishing false election results during the 2019 State House of Assembly elections when he served as collation/returning officer at INEC office, Afaha Ikot Ebak in Essien Udim local government area.
Uduk was arraigned under charge no: HU/240c/2020, on three count charge bordering on abandonment of duties and generation of false scores on form EC BE (II) on March 10, 2019 at INEC office in Afaha Ikot Ebak during the State House of Assembly elections; announcement and publication of false election result; and lying on oath at the inception of the election petition tribunal. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel to the accused, Abasiodiong Ekpenyong said INEC came to the court unprepared even though they had issued a bench warrant for his client, adding that his client remains innocent to all charges until proven guilty.
“Today was for indefinite hearing. The prosecutors filled in their witness but before he began, the lead counsel indicated interest to substitute charges by way of amendment. He came unprepared and it was obvious when my Lord observed that his house was not in order.
“I literally had to help him put his house in order from my own house. They have now sought the vacation of tomorrow which was the earlier date for them to now prepare and we pray he comes back on the fixed date prepared.
“This was the same case the prosecution opted a bench warrant against the accused and was granted. The accused person remains innocent. He came to court early enough to defend himself.
“But like we all knew what was in the other card, they came unprepared, just like they would always come unprepared,” he stated.
Responding, Counsel to INEC, Kpoobari Sigalo denied that they were unprepared for the hearing.
He said that the charge filed against the accused needed to be amended and in the process, it was discovered that the written statement of the witness was missing.
“We came fully prepared, you can see our witness was in court, only that the written statement of the witness was not in the file. We thought that those things were intact, only for us to discover this morning that it was not.
“We actually filed our charge before the court but looking at the charges we discovered that there was need for minor amendment of the charge. In the process, we discovered that the written statement of the witness was not in the charge, so we have to go back and put our house together in preparation for the fixed date,” he stated.
