EFCC to prosecute Okorocha, wife, others for alleged corrupt enrichment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, together with his wife, daughter and an aide would soon be prosecuted for corrupt enrichment.

EFCC said it had established prima facie cases against the suspects, which they would answer to soon.

The head, Enugu zonal office of the commission, Mr. Usman Imam, disclosed this yesterday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on the activities of the commission in the last eight months.

He stated that the commission had already obtained orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to the former governor and his wife.

Imam said the commission also obtained a similar order on a property traced to Okorocha’s daughter as well as his former aide, Paschal Obi.

The commission said it was interested in Rochas Foundation and other property converted by individuals for personal use in Imo.

According to Imam, a 16-block cum 96 flats, a multi-million naira eight-bungalow estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza, supermarket, hospital, and four vehicles are on the commission’s spotlight.

He added that while the hospital was traced to Obi, the remaining ones were traced to Okorocha and his family.

In another vein, a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday remanded three Bureau De Change operators, Jimmy Ibrahim, Obianuju Umejesi and Uche Madubuko, who was accused of defrauding a firm of N437 million.

The trial judge, Nicholas Oweibo, made the remand order after admitting each of the suspects to N20 million bail with two sureties in like sum.

Justice Oweibo also demanded that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second must be a Grade Level 12 officer with Lagos State or Federal Government establishment.

The court added that all the bail terms must be verified by the prosecuting agency.

Oweibo, however, ordered that they are detained till they fulfilled the bail terms.

The police first arraigned the suspects on August 22, 2019, for alleged conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and fraud.

The prosecutors also alleged that Ibrahim had in April, May, and June this year issued three dud United Bank for Africa (UBA) cheques with the total value of N73 million.

The trio had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Trial has been fixed for October 3.