Bassey, 45, who is representing
Akwa-Ibom north-east, allegedly received the vehicles between 2010 and 2014
from Olajide Omokore, a businessman, when he (Bassey) served as the Akwa-Ibom
commissioner for finance.
The senator is to face a
seven-count charge bordering on corruption as a public officer and for inviting
bribes.
On his part, Omokore is also
facing a seven-count charge bordering on offering gratification to a public
officer and giving bribe on account of the action of a public officer.
Omokore is chairman of Atlantic
Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited.
According to NAN, both men were
absent in court on Monday when the case was announced for mention.
Zainab Ettu, prosecuting counsel
for the EFCC, requested a new court date to enable the anti-graft commission
arraign the senator and the businessman.
“We do not have the defendants in
court today, though we had earlier anticipated that we would have them in court
at a later date,” she said.
“We will be asking for a further
date, most preferably, after vacation.”
Responding, the vacation judge,
Obafemi Adamson, said the case had not been assigned to a judge, making it
difficult to adjourn.
The judge ordered that the case
file should be sent to the registry of the high court for assignment to a judge
who will hear it.
According to the charge sheet,
Bassey received the vehicles from Omokore over a five-year period in Lagos.
Bassey allegedly received the
bribes while serving as the Akwa-Ibom commissioner for finance and chairman of
the Akwa-Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee
(IMDLCC).
On May 10, 2010, Bassey also
allegedly received a BMW X5 BP worth N50 million from Omokore, and in December
2012, another Infinity QX 56 BP worth N45 million from him.
On November 2013, the serving
senator was said to have received a Toyota Landcruiser V8 BP valued at N40
million and in March 2014, a Range Rover also valued at N40 million from the
businessman as well as in September 2014, another Toyota Hiace High Roof car
valued at N27 million.
Others are Toyota Hiace High Roof
car valued at N16 million and six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N36
million.
The anti-graft commission claimed
that the car gifts were given to Bassey by Omokore in exchange for contracts
from the Akwa-Ibom government.
The offences, according to the
EFCC, contravene sections 63 (1)(a), 64 (1)(a) and 98(1), (a), (i) of the
criminal law of Lagos 2011.
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