Anastasia Okechukwu Reporting
The Ex- commissioner for Transportation, Laz Okoroafor-Anyanwu under the administration of Rochas Okorocha has been sentenced to three years imprisonment by the State High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State.
Okoroafor-Anyanwu was found guilty of fraud, looting public funds and stealing.
The presiding Judge, Justice K.A Lewanya while delivering the judgement in Court 14, said that when Okoroafor-Anyanwu was Commissioner for Transport and the Chairman Interim Committee of the Imo State Transport Company (ITC), was found guilty of diverting N180 million of state funds into a private company account where he is a major shareholder and sole signatory, which is against Section 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 20.
According to the Judge, Okoroafor-Anyanwu was also found guilty of violating the Public Procurement Act, abuse of office, and using his office to gain undue advantage in his dealings during his tenure as a commissioner and ITC chairman.
He said the counsel to The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Barrister Michael Ani, who is the prosecuting counsel was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that when Okoroafor-Anyanwu was commissioner between 2015 and 2019, he transferred the sum of N100 million from the ITC account to his private company named Oma Oil Industries Limited which is against Section 12 and 19 of the ICPC Act 2020 for a Public Servant.
Although, Okoroafor- Anyanwu pleaded not guilty, the judge in her ruling sentenced him to one-year imprisonment with no option of fine. The judge also ruled that the looted N180 million found in his account be forfeited to the Imo State Transport Company.
Meanwhile, while reacting to the judgement, Counsel to EFCC, Barrister Ani says it is a welcome development and a great leap by the agency in the fight against corruption, abuse of public office, and embezzlement of public funds by political office holders.