Court jails ex-Imo commissioner for three years over fraud

A high court in Owerri, Imo state, has sentenced Laz Okoroafor-Anyanwu, a former commissioner for transport, to three years imprisonment for fraud.

Delivering the judgment on Tuesday, K.A. Lewanya, presiding judge, found Okoroafor-Anyanwu guilty of diverting N180 million of state funds into a private company account where he is a major shareholder and sole signatory.

At that time, the convict doubled as commissioner for transport and the chairman interim committee of the Imo state transport company (ITC).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused him 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.

The EFCC said while 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 sections 12 and 19 of the ICPC act 2020 for public servants.

He also approved the transfer of another N80 million from government funds directly to his private company account under the guise of procuring vehicles for the management of ITC without due process and recourse to the public procurement act.

Upon arraignment in 2020, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, the judge held that Michael Ani, EFCC’s counsel, was able to prove the case against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge also ordered that the looted N180 million found in his account be forfeited to the Imo state transport company.