ICPC recovers N4.2 billion in mid-year, concludes 72 cases, says report

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday in its mid-year into 2015 report said it has recovered N4.2 billion on cases it has prosecuted while it projects to raise the recovered amount to N5 billion by the end of the year.

The mid-year report made available to The Guardian through an electronic mail from the Financial Investment Unit of the commission, indicates that the cases from which the funds were recovered include cases against corporate organisations, government institutions and individuals. The funds, the report said, had been transferred to the rightful beneficiaries, some of them government institutions and individuals.

The report stated: “For example, N120 million was recovered from Arab Contractors in a case of tax evasion. This money has been deposited at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). N41.9 million was also recovered in a case of non-payment of gratuity by Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, the funds have been transferred to Rasaki Oladejo and eight others. There was a petition against NICON Insurance from which N3 million was recovered and transferred to Progressive Link Microfinance. N80.4 million was recovered in a case of irresponsible conduct by Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank and it was paid to the petitioner.

“Other cases from where funds were recovered include cases of non-payment of gratuity, pensions, salaries, monetisation arrears, omission of monthly pensions, non-remittance of contributory pensions and non-refund of NHF contributions.”

“The ICPC has 210 cases under investigation. One hundred and twenty-three of such cases were brought forward from 2014. Fifty of these are cases on pensions. Of the 210 cases, 74 were assigned to units while 87 were assigned to teams. Non-pension cases were 138 in all, 72 of which are on-going cases, 54 concluded, 15 approved for prosecution, eight transferred to state offices while four are yet to commence. Pension cases are 72, while 17 are on-going, 18 have been concluded, 37 have been transferred to Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). The cases involving tax are six.

The commission also projects to be able to bring the number of cases forwarded for prosecution to 30 by the end of 2015 and to clear outstanding cases. It lists its challenges to include funding, stationery, office space allocation and IT equipment”, the report further stated.