The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned over N5.7bn seized from the former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, to various
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned over N5.7bn seized from the former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, to various administrations in Imo State for use to pay salaries and pensions of workers.
Speaking at the commission’s zonal office in Port Harcourt, Rivers, the Zonal Head, Usman Imam, said N7.9bn belonging to Imo was seized from the former governor during EFCC investigations.
Imam, who has been in charge of the ongoing probe of the former governor said, ““I started the Imo state case in Enugu and upon my deployment to this zone, the investigations of corruption allegations against the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, was transfered from the Enugu zone to Port Harcourt for further investigations.
“Within the period, the commission succeeded in freezing about N7.9bn in different accounts. All the monies that were released to Imo State government were from the N7.9bn recovered from Okorocha. The monies were released in batches.
“N2.7bn was released in March for salaries. In the PDP government of Emeka Ihedioha, excess of N2.5bn upon series of writings and our insistence of monitoring it, was released to pay salaries and pensions because they were monies recovered from the state so it has to go back to the state.
“Then the government of Emeka left and this government came, we had a remnant of the money in excess of N2bn. We were able to release N514milion just last month because excess of about N1.8bn is encumbered with a court process. Contractors went to court and targeted the funds. The process is lingering. They still have excess of N1.8bn that is not released”.
Apart from the money recovered from Okorocha, the EFCC zonal boss said the senator’s assets were also identified in Imo and Abuja and seized by the commission. He said the commission filed a court process for interim forfeiture of the assets in Imo and Abuja, confiscated from Okorocha. The target is to conclude the investigations and he will have his day in court.”
