By Onyekachi Eze
Few hours after declaring to contest for the Nigeria Presidency in 2023, yesterday at the International Conference Center, Abuja, Senator Rochas Okorocha representing Imo West in the Senate is in for fresh troubles.
Trumpeta Newspaper learnt that the anti graft agency, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has taken the two term former Governor of Imo State to the Court over allegations bordering on financial impropriety.
Okorocha declared his intentions to vie for the presidential seat, yesterday.
While the declaration which was organized in an elaborate media conference was going on, a court order from a Federal High Court, Abuja, surfaced.
From the information obtained online, Okorocha and five others were dragged to court on allegations of embezzlement of monies running into billions belonging to the public.
Okorocha was charged for stealing a whooping sum of over two billion naira, (#2.9b).
It was said he connived with five companies and a top APC chieftain to divert the fund.
The online document further showed that among the defendants were; Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
While Okorocha successfully scaled the 2019 political tussle to clinch the Orlu Zone senate ticket, his co-accused, Mr. Nyerere, was the APC governorship candidate in the 2015 Abia State election and currently serves as a commissioner at the National Pension Commission.
It’s alleged that Nyerere features in all the 17 charges and is accused of conspiring with Owelle Okorocha to siphon N2.9 billion belonging to Imo State and local government areas in the state in contravention of the Money Laundering Act 2011.
According to reports monitored online showed he owns or controls three of the charged companies, namely Consolid, Pramif, and Legend World, all registered in Abuja.
It reads, “According to the EFCC charges, the stolen funds were diverted between October 2014 and February 2016 from the Imo State Government House account and Imo State Joint Local Government Project accounts”.
Timeline of the alleged diversions goes thus;
“February 11, 2014: N67,500,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited.
“August 28, 2014: N486,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited.
“October 14, 2014: N900,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Naphtali International Limited.
“August 4, 2015: N279,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Naphtali International Limited.
“February 10, 2016: N243,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Consolid Projects Consulting Limited.
“February 10, 2016: N200,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Consolid Projects Consulting Limited.
“February 10, 2016: N243,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Pramif International Limited.
“February 11, 2016: N243,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited.
“February 12, 2016: 243,000,000 – conspiracy between Mr Okorocha, Mr Nyerere, and Legend World Concepts Limited”.
The latest development however has sent shivers down the spines of Okorocha’s camp as they are yet to recover from the shock, hours after the public declaration.
It would be recalled that since the emergence of Senator Hope Uzodinma as governor of Imo State, there have been series of litigations against Okorocha and family.
Apart from that, there were judicial panel of enquires which indicted the former governor and his household. An effect of that was the recovery of some property belonging to the Orlu zone Senator and wife.
