Court jails ex-Imo commissioner three years for fraud

Justice K.A Lewanya of the Imo State High Court, Owerri, on Tuesday, sentenced the state’s former Commissioner for Transport, Laz Anyanwu, to three years imprisonment for fraud.

Anyanwu, who served as commissioner for transport under the Rochas Okorocha administration in the state, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a three-count charge of fraud, looting of public funds, and stealing.

The commission accused the convict of diverting N180 million belonging to the state into a private company account where he was a major shareholder and sole signatory while in office.

READ ALSO: Court remands Imo ex-deputy governor, Irona, in prison

In his ruling, the judge declared that the prosecution successfully established that the ex-commissioner transferred the sum of N100 million from the account of Imo Transport Company (ITC) to his private company named Oma Oil Industries Limited.

This, according to him, violated section 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020 for a public servant.

He also held that Anyanwu violated the Public Procurement Act, abused his office, and used his office to gain undue advantage in his dealings during his tenure as the commissioner and the chairman ITC interim committee.

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