Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Office, has arrested the acting Accountant General of Imo State, Mr. Uzoho Casmir, for alleged money laundering.
He is alleged to have laundered the sum of N1.050billion through a new-generation bank for the governor of the state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
A source at the commission who disclosed this said Uzoho’s arrest followed intelligence report that the governor intended to use the money for vote buying in favour of a particular candidate in tomorrow’s gubernatorial election.
The source further disclosed that Mr Casmir withdrew the amount in three tranches between Tuesday and Thursday this week. The money was withdrawn in the following order; N200million on Tuesday, N500million on Wednesday and N350million on Thursday.
He stated that EFCC had blocked the traced accounts, even as he submitted that the arrested accountant general had been providing useful information to the commission.
Mr Casmir was before his appointment, a Director of Finance in Okorocha’s government and was in 2016, allegedly fingered in N2billion bailout fund scam, which was then given to the state by the Federal government for the payment of salary arrears of civil servants.