An Ebonyi customary court judge, Mr. Stephen Nwankwo, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over an alleged attempt by two suspects to bribe him to pervert the course of justice.
Nwankwo, who is the Chairman of Mbeke-Ishieke Customary Court in the Ebonyi Local Government Area, had in a two-page petition signed by his attorney, Mr Luke Nkwegu, called on the police to order diligent prosecution of the two suspects.
The suspects were caught in the act while offering him bribe to pervert justice.
He alleged that the two men (names withheld) came to his house on Jan. 8, 2013 and offered him an envelope containing the sum of N10, 000, adding that his conversation with the suspects was recorded.
“As the conversation was going on, I excused myself and called the police who arrived immediately and arrested the suspects with the exhibit,” he said.
Nwankwo alleged that the money was given to him in respect of a pending case of income tax in his court.
“After the arrest of the suspects, a police officer (name withheld) in the state police command conspired with a lawyer who wrote a rather flimsy petition.
“Following the petition, the case was mysteriously transferred to X-Squad, State Police Headquarters, Abakaliki, and the bribery suspects were hurriedly released,” he said.
