Okorocha evades EFCC bid to arraign him for alleged N2.9bn fraud, court shifts hearing

Efforts to serve former governor of Imo State and a serving senator, Rochas Okorocha court papers for his arraignment over an alleged N2.9 billion alleged fraud case have failed.

The prosecuting body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Okorocha, evaded service of the 17-count fraud charge against him and five others.

The anti-graft agency told the Court that several efforts it made to effect service of the charge on Okorocha, failed.

READ ALSO: EFCC, NYSC sign MoU on war against corruption

This forced the trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo to adjourn the matter till March 28.

When Justice Inyang Ekwo called the matter, all the other defendants were present in court except the former governor who is the 1st defendant in the17-count charge.

However, counsel for the EFCC, Cosmas Ugwu, informed that the 1st defendant (Okorocha) was not in court because he had not been served with the charge.

“My Lord, the matter would have been for arraignment of the defendants but the 1st defendant is not in court.

“Effecting service on him has been difficult, but we have served all other defendants,” he said.

Ugwu pleaded for more time to enable him effect the service on the senator, who currently represents Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Okorocha was expected to be arraigned by the anti-graft agency on a 17-count charge bordering on conspiracy with his cronies, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies, to fritter the sum of N2.9 billion public funds belonging to the Imo government.

Others to be arraigned, alongside Okorocha, are Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now