EFCC Press Release
The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today complained to a Federal
High Court sitting in Lagos that the Enugu state government had tampered with
the assets of companies associated with the former governor of the state,
Chimaroke Nnmana.
The four
companies which had on May 19, 2015 pleaded
guilty to a 10-count amended charge brought against them by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, are
Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited
and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital. The companies are alleged to have
failed to comply with lawful inquiry made by the Commission.
Their
assets are central to the review of facts of the four companies linked to the
ex-governor which was fixed for today, June 11, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Yinusa.
But the trial judge had to adjourn the review to July 7 after counsel
to the EFCC, Kelvin Uzozie told the court that he was still working to get a
schedule of all the assets and properties of the companies. He told the court
that in the course of preparing the schedule it was discovered that some of the
assets and properties have been taken over or tampered with by the immediate
past government of Enugu State. “We discovered that most of the properties have
been allocated to their friends, family members or political office holders. We
are interested in getting all the assets as there was an interim forfeiture
order by the court on the assets and properties. We believe it is not right for
anybody no matter how highly placed the person may be to tamper with properties
that are before the court. We want the properties to be harmonised.” he said.
According to the EFCC counsel, 21
properties in Gulf Estate on which there was an interim forfeiture order, were
discovered to be sold.
Also, Ebeano Tunnel which had 22
Duplexes when an interim forfeiture order was made has been taken over by the
state government and renamed Fidelity Estate and sold to various individuals.
In addition, Block of 15 Residential
Houses at Ebeano Housing has been taken over by the state government and sold to
Hospitality Company which has now built an event centre on the land.
Chimaroke Nnamani was first
arraigned before Justice Tijani Abubakar in 2007. The ex-governor was
docked alongside Sunday Anyaogu, his then aide and six firms linked to them:
Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Hillgate Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City
Automobile Nigeria Limited, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea
Mater Elizabeth High School.
The case was re-assigned to Justice
Charles Archibong following the transfer of Justice Abubakar, now of the Appeal
Court, out of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court. Again, the case was
re-assigned to Justice Yinusa, after Justice Archibong (now retired) was also
transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.
According to the charge, Nnamani
conspired with other accused persons to launder funds from the state treasury,
especially monies meant for the local government areas of Enugu state.
Wilson
Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
11th June, 2015
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