The CEO of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma has rejected his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and is i
The CEO of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma has rejected his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and is insisting on knowing what his offence is that warranted his arrest in the first place. Recall that the business man was arrested by the anti-graft Commission on Tuesday after the EFCC claimed he had refused to honour its invitation, an accusation the company denied. Following outrage and condemnation of the arrest, the anti-graft agency, on Wednesday, announced that it had released him on the condition of bail.
According to a statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC Spokesman, the commission alleged that Innoson CEO, Chukwuma and his brother committed fraud and forgery amounting to N1,478, 366, 859.66 and used forged documents to secure tax waivers.
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released Nnewi, Anambra-State born Industrialist, Chief Innocent Chukwuma on bail,” the statement read.
“The business man who runs a local auto assembly plant was arrested on Tuesday December 19, 2017 at his Enugu residence, following his refusal to respond to invitations by the Commission, after initially being granted administrative bail by the Commission, while his surety could also not be found. Unfortunately the industrialist resisted arrest and stirred controversy by bringing six truck-loads of thugs to block the entrance to his Plot W1, Industrial Layout, Abakaliki Road, Emeni, Enugu, home.
“This was after he initially misled the Police Command by informing them that his home had been invaded by armed robbers and kidnappers despite the fact that operatives of the Commission duly identified themselves to policemen guarding his home. His unruly thugs encircled and manhandled operatives of the Commission who had gone to effect the arrest. Consequently, a distress call was sent to the Commission’s Enugu Office for reinforcement.
“In all of this, the Commission’s operatives acted with decorum and civility. No one was manhandled or assaulted by the EFCC team, and not a single shot was fired, despite the provocation. Chief Chukwuma and his brother, Charles Chukwuma (who is still at large), are being investigated by the Insurance and Capital Market Fraud Section of the Commission’s office in Lagos over matters bordering on N1, 478, 366, 859.66 fraud and forgery.”
But Chukwuma’s company, Innoson Motors, said the billionaire businessman rejected the bail on the grounds that he had not been made to know the reason for his arrest.
“Innoson has refused his release because he is demanding to know the reason for his arrest,” the company tweeted.
“You can’t come and pick me like a criminal only to ask me to go without telling me why you arrested me in the first place,” Chukwuma told operatives of the EFCC after he was released.
He has however denied being invited by the EFCC in the first place saying that his arrest is illegal.
“If they invited me, I would have answered them because I am a genuine businessman. I am an industrialist, I don’t have any skeleton in my cupboard. I have never forged tax waiver documents in my life. I pay all my taxes, I pay my duties; I am a genuine businessman; I’m an industrialist.
“In due time, I will tell Nigerians the whole truth about this matter. I intend to work with EFCC on this alleged investigation, so as to clear my name, which has been badly damaged, and I will follow up this so-called investigation to its logical conclusion.”
