Alleged Fraud: Court rejects Senator Okorocha’s bail

okorocha
Enugu State
From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Former Imo state Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha is to remain in the custody of the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission (EFCC) as the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Friday, rejected his bail request.

Rather, Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered Okorocha, through his counsel, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, to put the anti-graft agency on notice.
 Olanipekun had, in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2022 and filed on May 26,  prayed the court to grant Okorocha bail on liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice filed on May 25.
Justice Ekwo ruled  that since the matter would be coming up on Monday, May 30, making an order for the release of the lawmaker on bail would be unnecessary.
The judge, who fixed May 30 for the hearing of the motions, directed the lawyer to put the EFCC on notice.

Ekwo had, in the last adjourned date, given the anti-corruotion commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be adjourned following the EFCC’s complaint that it had been unable to serve Okorocha despite several efforts.

The judge had threatened to strike out the case if the EFCC failed to produce the senator in the next adjourned date, after two adjournments for his arraignment.

Operatives of the Commission on Tuesday arrested the former governor  after over six hours of a siege at his house.

He was arrested on Tuesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. at his residence in the Maitama area of Abuja.

The EFCC, has preferred a 17-count money laundering charge against former Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Equally listed as Defendants in the charge included a chieftain of the All Progressive, APC, Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, and five companies-  Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.

EFCC alleged that Okorocha who piloted affairs of Imo state from 2011 to 2019, conspired and diverted public funds to the tune of about N2.9 billion.

According to the anti-graft agency, the Defendants committed the alleged offence between October 2014 and February 2016.

It alleged that the Defendants sequentially siphoned funds from the Imo State Government House account and Imo State Joint Local Government Project account, and diverted same into accounts of private firms.

The charge was filed before the court on a day Okorocha who is currently the Senator representing Imo West, declared his intention to contest for presidency in the 2023 general elections.

NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians can now earn as much as $15,000-$25,000 with premium domains. You decide if you want payment in Naira or US Dollars. Be sure to ask for evidence and proof of people benefitting daily from this. CLICK HERE TO START

Breaking news & top stories

Stay connected with The Sun Newspaper

Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and live updates delivered straight to your phone. Join thousands of readers already following us on Whatsapp Channel and Telegram.

Breaking news & top stories

Follow The Sun Newspaper

Get live updates & exclusive stories delivered straight to your phone.

Breaking news & top stories

Stay connected with The Sun Newspaper

Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and live updates delivered straight to your phone. Join thousands of readers already following us on Whatsapp Channel and Telegram.

Enugu State