N458million Scam: EFCC Arrests Imo Finance Boss, AG

The Imo State Finance Commissioner, Okafor Chike John and the Accountant General, Eche Ezenna George have been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The duo are being detained in relation to a contract awarded to a construction company JPROS International Limited for a construction contract for which the company was paid the full cost of Transaction, N1 billion- even when work had not commenced on the project.

This is the second time the anti-corruption agency carried out detention of the two officials over allegations of fraud and abuse of office. The duo were arrested in January and granted bail but were never charged with a crime.

The contract led to the impeachment of the former deputy governor in the state. Jude Agbaso.

Meanwhile, the Owerri Chief Magistrate Court presided by Mrs. Victoria Isiguzo yesterday ordered the police to produce Mr. Joseph Dina, the Managing Director of J-PROS Int’I Limited to face criminal charges filed against him and his company by Imo State Government for fraud and obtaining money from the state government under false prefence.

The suit as filed by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Soronnadi Njoku, on behalf of the state government also seeks to prosecute the contractor for abandoning a major road contract in Owerri capital city after criminally obtaining money in excess of the contract sum.

J-PROS had abandoned the Sam Mbakwe Road project after collecting the total contract sum of N1, 150,000,000 and another N200,000,000 overpayment.

Mr. Dina had in the course of investigation carried out by Imo State House of Assembly accused the former Deputy Governor and then Commissioner for Works, Sir Jude Agbaso, of demanding and receiving N458million gratification, an allegation he claimed led to the abandonment of the project.

Sir Agbaso was subsequently impeached by the state legislature, thus, becoming the first deputy governor to be impeached since the creation of Imo State in 1976.

In another development, Governor Rochas Okorocha has warned contractors handling road projects in the state to expedite action and ensure completion of their jobs to avoid disruption by the rams.

The governor handed this warning while inspecting road projects embarked upon by the state government in Okigwe town.