Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba says federal prosecutors will indict him on charges related to an ongoing bribery case in Mississippi’s capital city.
“My legal team has informed me that federal prosecutors have, in fact, indicted me on bribery and other related charges. To be clear, I have never accepted a bribe of any type,” Lumumba said in a brief, pre-recorded video released this week.
“As mayor, I have always acted in the best interest of the citizens of Jackson,” said the mayor, who is up for reelection next year and previously announced he plans to run again.
“We believe this to be a political prosecution against me, primarily designed to destroy my credibility and reputation within the community,” he continued.
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The news comes months after former Ward 2 City Councilwoman Angelique Lee resigned and pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge. Prosecutors alleged Lee accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for her vote in favor of two undercover FBI agents who claimed they were real-estate developers interested in developing a hotel in downtown Jackson.
Weeks after Lee stepped down, Sherik Marve Smith, a Jackson businessman, pleaded guilty to a charge related to the case.
While speaking to the media during a press conference on Oct. 21, 2024, Lumumba acknowledged he’d met Smith “a couple of times” but vehemently denied any involvement with the bribery case.
“To be clear, with respect to any allegations or speculation on that, I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime,” he said. “That’s all that I will share. There may come a time and place where I will expound on that at an appropriate moment.”
In his video statement to the public on Tuesday, Lumumba shared his disappointment over the FBI’s decision to indict him and asked residents for “your patience and your prayers during this process.”
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