Two Chinese nationals in custody for offering N100m bribe to EFCC operative

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly offering the sum of N100 million only as bribe to its top official.

The Chinese, Mr Meng Wei Kun and Mr Xu Koi, were arrested by the Sokoto zonal office of the commission, whose head, Mr Abdullahi Lawal, was offered the N50 million bribe with a promise to balance him another N50 million.

A statement by Dele Oyewale, Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, on Tuesday said the suspects were arrested on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Sokoto.

The statement read in detail:

“The bribe was allegedly offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, handling contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government to the tune of N50 billion between 2012 to 2019.

“The zonal office of the commission is investigating the construction company in connection with the execution of contracts for the construction of township roads in Gummi, Bukkuyun, Anka and Nassarawa towns of Zamfara State; and also the construction of 168 solar-powered boreholes in the 14 local government areas of the state.

“Alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of investigation being conducted, the company reached out to Lawal with an offer of N100 million as bribe to ‘bury’ the matter.

“In a grand design to trap the corrupt officials, Lawal played along, and on Monday, two representatives of the company Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi offered him cash totaling N50 million in their office along Airport Road, Sokoto. The cash was offered as a first installment.

“The suspects were promptly arrested with the cash as an evidence.

“Investigation of the construction company was informed by an intelligence on alleged conspiracy; misappropriation of public funds; embezzlement; official corruption; abuse of office, stealing and money laundering obtained against the Zamfara State government through inflated and uncompleted contracts awarded to the company.

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“Investigations have so far revealed that China Zounghao Ltd has received payments of over N41billion (Forty One Billion Naira) from the Zamfara State government, out of which about N16, 000, 000, 000. 00 (Sixteen Billion Naira) equivalent of over $US53,000,000.00 (Fifty Three Million US Dollars) was allegedly diverted and traced to some bureau de change operators

“The suspects would soon be charged to court.”

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