From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Barely hours after declaring his presidential ambition for 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed N2.9 billion fraud charges against former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.
In the 17-count charge filed before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, Okorocha was charged alongside Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited and Legend World Concepts Limited.
They were in the charge alleged to have conspired to steal N2.9 billion public funds between October 2014 and February 2016.
The charge specifically alleged that the funds were transferred from the Imo State Government House account and Imo State Joint Local Government Project account with the following detailes: “on February 11, 2014, Okorocha did conspired with Nyerere, and Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited to transfer the sum of N67, 500, 000.
Between August 28, 2014 to February 2016; the various sums of money was transferred through a conspiracy between Okorocha and Nyerere as follows: N486,000,000; N900, 000,000; N279, 000, 000; N243, 000, 000; N200, 000, 000; N243, 000, 000; N200, 000, 000; N243, 000,000; N243, 000, 000 and N243, 000, 000.
The money according the EFCC was transferred from Imo State Joint Local Government Project account to the following companies; Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited; Naphtali International Limited; Consolid Projects Consulting Limited; Pramif International Limited; Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited and Legend World Concepts Limited.
However, the case has not been assigned to a judge for hearing.
Before the court action, the former Imo governor and the anti-graft agency had been in a running battle over alleged corrupt practices while he was in office as the chief executive of the state.
He was arrested a grilled by the commission in connection with some properties that were allegedly traced to him, including residential estates.
The incident later led to the sealing of some of his properties and investments including residential estates, schools, specifically Rochas Foundation College, Owerri, East High Primary and Secondary school, Owerri, which belonged to Okorocha’s first daughter, Uloma Nwosu, and All-In Supermarket, Owerri, Imo State.
