Despite warrant for his arrest, Imo deputy speaker flaunts chieftaincy title, campaigns for re-election

Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, deputy speaker of the Imo state house of assembly, has been engaged in public activities despite a subsisting court order directing his arrest.

In a post on Instagram on December 11, Iwuanyanwu said “13 traditional rulers of Nwangele bestowed on me the high chief title Amarachukwu Nwangele and endorsed me for a 2nd term in office”.

He was conferred with the chieftaincy title in November 2022 — same month he launched his re-election campaign.

Earlier in January 2023, the deputy speaker had organised a New Year get-together, which also featured him campaigning for re-election.

Meanwhile, on November 25, 2022, a federal high court in Abuja issued a warrant for Iwuanyanwu’s arrest following his alleged involvement in N785 million fraud.

Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, had directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Interpol, to arrest the lawmaker on sight, “anywhere he is sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce him before this honourable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja”.

The order was granted following an ex-parte application dated November 14, which the EFCC brought before the court through its lawyer, Olanrewaju Adeola.

The EFCC said one Hakiz Investment Company Limited entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iwuanyawu’s business — Sun Gold Estate Limited — at some point in 2012 to develop an estate with 14 units of four-bedroom terrace homes and one block of six flats on the petitioner’s land in Mabuchi, Abuja. 

The company’s lawyer, A.A. Malik, signed the petition, which was addressed to Abdulrasheed Bawa, EFCC chairperson.

The commission informed the court that the deal stated that when the respondent (Iwuanyawu) finished developing the estate, the complainant, who is the landowner, would receive 40 percent of the building while the respondent, who is the developer, would receive 60 percent of the building.

However, the anti-graft agency alleged that its investigations revealed that “upon completion of the estate, the respondent sold all the buildings and criminally diverted the funds without the knowledge of the complainant”.

The market value of 40 percent of the buildings is said to be about N785 million.

The commission added that the investigation is ongoing and all invitations extended to Iwuanyanwu and his company proved abortive. 

Meanwhile, the case is scheduled to come up on February 23 for report.