Okorocha to forfeit assets to EFCC, risks Arrest.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has obtained

orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to a former Imo governor,

Rochas Okorocha, and his wife.

The Head, Enugu Zonal Office of the commission, Mr Usman Imam, disclosed

this on Wednesday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on the activities of the

commission in the last eight months.

Imam said that the commission also obtained similar order on a property traced

to a former aide to Okorocha, Mr Paschal Obi, and the former governor’s daughter.

He said that the commission had established prima facie cases against the suspects

which they would answer to.

Imam said that the commission would like to know how the Rochas

Foundation

and other accomplices acquired and or converted some of the property

for personal use.

He listed some of the property to include a 16-block cum 96 flats and an

eight-bungalow multimillion naira estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza,

supermarket, hospital and four vehicles.

The EFCC chief said that while the hospital was traced to Obi, the remaining

property were traced to the former governor and his family, including his

wife and daughter.

“We hope to get permanent forfeiture orders on the property in order to

return them to the people of the state,” he said.

Imam said that all the facilities, including the schools, would remain functional

as the commission would not like to shut them down for the sake of the

students and other users.

“Other recoveries were made and are awaiting forfeiture, but for the court vacation.

They include a twin three-storey building with a three bedroom bungalow and

a duplex, both in Enugu.

“The property were recovered from cyber fraudsters,” he said.

Imam said that the commission, within the period, recovered N213.85 million

and 10, 600 US dollars.

“In one of such recoveries, one Augustine Ejimokor, who defrauded his victim

of the sum of 5,000 US dollars and used it to acquire a Mercedez Benz C300

was ordered to forfeit the vehicle.

“So far, the zone has arrested 88 suspected fraudsters since 2015, with 70 of

them in 2019. This underscores the efforts of the present zonal head in conformity

with the acting chairman’s directives,” he said.

Imam said that the zone also obtained 59 convictions out of whom were the

51 arrested and prosecuted in 2019. (NAN)