Nigeria Content Online

The trial of Temple Nwankawoala, a
police chief based in Benin, Edo State, on corruption charges, that
started three years ago, continued yesterday at a Federal High Court in
Benin.

Mr. Nwankawoala, a Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP), is being charged by the Independent
Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for
demanding one million naira bribe from a suspect in a case he was
investigating, an act that is contrary to Section 28 of the ICPC Act
2000.

The police chief was investigating the
case brought by Monday Ebohinmen against his employer, Alex Okiye, over
the latter’s refusal to pay him his entitlement worth two million naira.

However, sensing that both parties were
about settling the dispute without him profiting from it, Mr.
Nwankawoala demanded a sum of one million naira from Mr. Okiye before
he could close the case.

“The DSP was alleged to have threatened
to arrest and detain the trailers which the respondent (Mr. Okiye) uses
for lifting fuel, being a petroleum dealer, as well as threatened to
arrest his staff working with the NNPC depot, if he failed to give him
the N1 million,” stated Folu Olamiti, the media consultant to the ICPC,
who explained that it was the persistence of the DSP for the money that
made Mr. Okiye report him to the ICPC.

“A string operation was carried out,
during which the suspect agreed to collect the initial sum of N500,
000, being part payment of the bribe of N1 million,” the ICPC spokesman
explained.

Carrying the loot

The police officer, who is on bail, was
arrested while transporting the initial sum, which was in N500
denominations, along with someone he had hired to help him carry the
money.

While explaining the reason for the
delay in getting a conviction, Mr. Olamiti stated that “the case, which
commenced on June 26, 2007, has suffered several adjournments.”

He, however, stated that “the
prosecution (ICPC) has closed their case after calling on all its
witnesses, while the defence (Mr. Nwankawoala), is yet to close its
case.