MUHAMMAD SAIFULLAH MUNTAKA-COOMASSIE, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellant, Dele Fagoriola, was arraigned before the High Court of Justice sitting at Akure, Ondo State, on the complaint of the Independent corrupt practices and other Related offences commission (I.C.P.C) on a nine (9) count charge under Section 19 of the Corrupt practices and other Related offences Act 2002, hereinafter called ICPC Act.
The appellant was accused of conferring corrupt advantage upon himself and his wife by collecting and/or approving various sums of money totalling nine hundred and seven thousand four hundred and nine naira (N907, 450) from the coffers of the local Government for the purposes of attending conferences, seminars and workshops but which the appellant did not attend and to which his wife was not entitled as she was not a staff of the Local Government. At the material time, the appellant was the chairman of the Akure North Local Government. At the trial the prosecution cal…