N2.9bn alleged fraud: I am not guilty of FG’s 17-count charge against me, Okorocha tells court

Former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, on Monday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that he is not guilty of the N2.9 billion corruption charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency arraigned the former governor on a 17-count charge, bordering on money laundering, along with a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and an ally to the ex-governor, Anyim Nyerere Chinenye.

The five companies joined in the charge are Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited and Legend World Concepts Limited.

Okorocha was in the 17-count charge, accused of diverting N2.9 billion from the Imo State Government House accounts and that of Imo State Local Government Joint accounts to private companies.

The alleged fraud was said to have been perpetrated by Okorocha and one Anyim Inyerere with the use of their private companies between 2014 and 2016 when he held sway as the Executive Governor of Imo State.

The former governor and a Presidential Aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read out to him, however, engaged the services of Okey Amaechi, Solomon Umor, Ola Olanipekun and Kehinde Ogunwumiju, all Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to defend him from the allegations preferred against him by the Federal Government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Shortly after the taking of plea, EFCC counsel, Gbolahan Latona prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him to assemble his witnesses that will testify during the trial.

He informed the court that 15 witnesses have been arranged to testify against Okorocha, who is currently the Senator representing Imo West in the National Assembly. He said, most of the witnesses are outside the jurisdiction of the court because of the peculiar nature of the charge.

Okorocha’s counsel, Okey Amaechi told the court that he had filed an application for the bail of his client and had also served the same on EFCC.

He attempted to argue the application but was opposed by the anti-graft agency which claimed that it intends to file a counter-affidavit against the application for the bail of the former governor.

Although the EFCC’s counsel sought an adjournment to June 1, 2022, for arguments on the bail application, the trial Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that he would take all the bail applications on May 31 and directed EFCC to endeavour to file its objection within time.

The Judge subsequently ordered Okorocha’s further detention in the custody of the EFCC till May 31 when his bail application would be argued.

It will be recalled that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had, on Monday, March 28, issued a threat to strike out the N2.9 billion money laundering charges against Okorocha should the Federal Government fail again to cause his appearance in court.

The judge had threatened to throw out the charges following the inability of the Federal Government to serve charges on Okorocha as required by law.

At the March 28 proceedings, the Federal Government, for the second time, through its counsel, Mr Cosmos Ugwu, had told Justice Ekwo that he has not been able to see Okorocha and serve him with the charges.

The Federal Government’s charges against Okorocha dated January 24, 2022, were signed by one A.O Ikota on behalf of the anti-graft agency.

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N2.9bn alleged fraud