Two weeks after a former Commissioner in Imo State incharge of Local Governments, Chief Jerry Okolie, and two Directors of Accounts and General Duties, DAGs in two LGAs, were whisked away to Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, they are still yet to regain their freedom.
According to sources from EFCC, the detained persons are not at the verge of going home soon, as EFCC has intensified its effort to arrest more officials in Imo state.
Impeccable sources told Trumpeta that Agents of the crime Body are still on the prowl in the state laying siege for more arrests.
One of the DAGs in hiding told Trumpeta that the situation is too dicey and hopeless, as the State Government has warned that whoever among the top Local Government staff that allows himself to be caught should blame himself as Government was not ready to get involved.
“They have told us to go under ground as they are not ready to help any body that is arrested by EFCC. So, my brother, we are now on our own. This is too bad, after we helped them” the source told Trumpeta.
Meanwhile, there is indication that Chief Jerry Okolie may appear in Court next week, following fillers that EFCC prosecutors have been busy since last week preparing the paper works.
This Newspaper learnt that Okolie has not been indicted of any personal misdemeanor, only that he is the signatory that disburses Imo State Local Government funds, therefore appearing in court to help untie some hard knots about Imo LGA funds.
“The Ex-Commissioner is not personally liable for any offence, only that he was the fellow who knows how the money coming to Imo LGAs these past two years were disbursed. So, he will go to court and explain. He is a good man, but in things like this, one person must be the scape-goat for the Principal” a source from Abuja said.
However, Trumpeta learnt that Imo State Government is doing everything possible to free the Ex-Commissioner, who was carted away to Abuja a day after the Governor of the State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha dissolved the State Executive Council.
It would be recalled that that day, EFCC Agents surprised everyone by storming the Commissioners’ Quarters early morning to ferry away their target.
Okolie was unlucky, as this was his first visit to EFCC and may end in court, while former Commissioner for Finance, Deacon Chike Okafor and the Accountant-General have been regular visitors to EFCC but have returned home in such previous visits.
The crux of the matter is said to come from petitions from Imo citizens, including elected Council Chairmen to EFCC that the funds to Imo LGAs from Abuja were disbursed without due process of the law guarding JAAC meetings.
Following persistent and legions of petitions from Imo State, EFCC had no option than to look into the allegations, and in the process, it was said, it unveiled stupendous financial irregularities which led to the various arrests of Imo Government Officials.
