From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Nemesis has caught up with some serving and retired top civil servants in Oyo State four years after they allegedly awarded fraudulent contracts to the tune of N4.8 billion.
The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) made the disclosure yesterday, adding that top perpetrators have been arrested for the alleged fraudulent act committed in 2018.
The agency’s chairman, Justice Eni Esan (retired), said the fraud was committed by the individuals at the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA). She added that the information about fraud was carefully concealed till the anti-graft agency unravelled it.
Esan, in a statement, said the fraud involved the payment of N4.8 billion to three private companies without delivering the project, and the agency is now after the said companies since the case was established and the officers involved arrested.
The agency claimed it is after the said companies since the case has been established and the officers involved have been arrested for further investigation and prosecution by the state’s Attorney-General.
“The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) has nabbed some retired and serving top civil servants of Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) for complicity in a fraudulent contract awarded in 2018.
“OYACA was able to discover this fraud despite concealment by the affected top officials to thwart the investigation exercise, the fraud involved the payment of a humongous amount of money in the sum of N4.8 billion to three companies yet to show up for investigation, in spite of our invitations.
“The agency is on the heels of the affected companies to recoup the money paid into their accounts in 2018 for supplies not made to date. While investigation is still ongoing, OYACA makes bold to say that the law has no respect for persons and everyone who has any form of connection with the matter will be dealt with according to the law. We, hereby, reiterate our commitment to zero tolerance of corruption in the public service of Oyo State,” it affirmed.