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)