- Laz Okoroafor-Anyanwu, a former commissioner under former Imo governor Rochas Okorocha, has bagged three years jail term
- A state high court sitting in Owerri sentenced Okoroafor-Anyanwu to prison for looting N180 million belonging to the state
- Reacting to the judgement through its lawyer, the EFCC said it is a welcome development and a great leap by the agency in the fight against corruption
Owerri, Imo state – A state high court sitting in Owerri has sentenced a former commissioner for Transport in Imo state, Laz Okoroafor-Anyanwu, to three years imprisonment.
The presiding Judge, Justice K.A Lewanya, jailed the former commissioner after finding him guilty of a three-count charge bothering on fraud, looting public funds and stealing which was brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Channels TV reported.
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Photo credit: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Source: Facebook
Okoroafor-Anyanwu served as commissioner under the administration of former Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Okoroafor-Anyanwu found guilty of diverting N180 million
Justice Lewanya said Okoroafor-Anyanwu was found guilty of diverting N180 million of state funds into a private company account where he is a major shareholder and sole signatory when he superintended and doubled as Commissioner for Transport and the Chairman Interim Committee of the Imo State Transport Company (ITC) which is against Section 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020.
According to the Judge, Okoroafor-Anyanwu was also found guilty of violating the Public Procurement Act, abuse of office, and using his office to gain undue advantage in his dealings during his tenure as a commissioner and ITC chairman.
He said the counsel to the EFCC, Barrister Michael Ani, proved beyond reasonable doubt that when Okoroafor-Anyanwu was commissioner between 2015 and 2019, he transferred the sum of N100 million from the ITC account to his private company named Oma Oil Industries Limited which is against Section 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020 for a Public Servant.
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The judge added that in the same vein, Okoroafor-Anyanwu signed off another N80 million from government coffers directly to his private company account on the notion that he was to procure certain vehicles for the management of ITC without due process and recourse to the public procurement act, The Punch also reported.
He also ruled that the looted N180 million found in the former commissioner’s account be forfeited to the Imo State Transport Company.
EFCC’s lawyer reacts
Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the EFCC, Barrister Ani said it is a welcome development and a great leap by the agency in the fight against corruption, abuse of public office, and embezzlement of public funds by political office holders.
calabargistblog.com.ng gathers that Okoroafor-Anyanwu was arraigned before the Imo State High Court in November 2020 following a petition by an anonymous petitioner in Imo State who accused him of looting public funds.
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Idris Yahaya: Yobe auditor general bags 5 years in jail for N19.9m fraud
In another report, the Yobe state high court convicted Alhaji Idris Yahaya, the auditor general for local government, of fraud to the tune of N19.9 million.
The ruling of the court was delivered on Tuesday, March 14, by Justice Muhammad Lawu Lawan after Yahaya was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of EFCC.
According to the EFCC, Yahaya received funds from the office of the Auditor General for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Yobe state, for the purchase of an official vehicle, a 2015 Toyota Corolla, and diverted part of the money to his personal use.
Source: calabargistblog.com.ng
