Okorocha denies N2.9bn fraud charges, as Court remand him in EFCC’s custody till today

By Andrew Orolua

At long last, former Imo State governor and Presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC), Rochas Okorocha, was on Monday, brought before a Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged fraudulent diversion of the sum of N2.9 billion from Imo State government account.

Okorocha pleaded not guilty to the corruption charges that was filed against him by the Federal Government, DailyTimes gathered.

The prosecuting anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), whose operatives arrested Okorocha last week in his house, in a dramatic episode served him with a 17-count charge and brought him to the court on Monday.

In the charge, EFCC accused him of diverting the sum of N2.9bn from Imo State Government House Accounts and that of Imo State Local Government Joint accounts to private companies.

He was said to have diverted the money with one Anyim Inyerere using their private companies between 2014 and 2016 when Okorocha held sway as the Executive Governor of Imo State.

At the court arraignment, Okorocha was represented by four Senior Advocates of Nigeria SAN: Okey Amaechi, Solomon Umor, Ola Olanipekun and Kehinde Ogunwumiju. He denied all the 17 count charges.

Shortly after he took his plea, EFCC counsel, Gbolahan Latona asked the Judge for an adjournment to enable him assemble his witnesses that will testify during trial.

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He informed the court that 15 witnesses have been arranged to testify against All Progressives Congress APC Presidential aspirant and that most of the witnesses are outside the court jurisdiction because of the peculiar nature of the charge.

Okorocha’s counsel, Okey Amaechi told the court that he had filed an application for bail of his client and had also served the same on EFCC.

He attempted to argue the application but was opposed by the anti-graft agency which claimed that it intends to file a counter affidavit in opposition to the bail application.

Although the EFCC’S lawyer sought adjournment to June 1 for arguments on bail, Justice Ekwo ruled that he would take all the bail applications on May 31 and directed EFCC to endeavour to file its opposition within time.

Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered Okorocha to remain in custody of EFCC till May 31 when his bail application would be argued.