By: Solomon Nwakenmadu
Some events in the lives of a person, a group or a society are trivial. Others are either natural and follow the trend of events without ripples
or they are considered as inconsequential and nobody cares about them.
But certain events are cataclysmic. They are such violent upheavals that they cause great destruction or they bring about a fundamental change.
The recent N458m JPROS gate chiseling case involving the deputy governor of Imo State, Chief (Sir) Jude Agbaso brought to the fore by the Imo State House of Assembly Ad-hoc committee to me is a category “A” of cataclysmic events to all Nigerians and Imolites in particular.
As such, it is incumbent on all patriotic Nigerians and Imolites in particular to rise up in unison, look into the matter, determine the real
issue(s) at stake, make a fair pronouncement(s) and execute same without diverting the issue to other areas with a view to perverting justice.
It is this patriotic responsibility that gave rise to the present article. What is really happening? Was His Excellency Sir Jude Agbaso the Deputy
Governor of Imo State actually involved in a swindling and graft mess with JPROS International Limited?
Let us take a look at the antecedents and the events. On August 2, 2011 at 16:12hrs “Sahara Reporters” published their investigations of an alleged fugitive status of Chief Sir Jude Agbaso in the United States of America.
According to Sahara Reporters, “A senior clerk at the district court in Nassau County in New York… confirmed that a bench warrant issued by a
district court Judge (with respect to the current embattled deputy governor of Imo State Chief Sir Jude Agbaso) remains valid and in force.”
For this reason, Mr Jude Ikechi Agbaso faces arrest on felony charges related to currency fraud if he attempts to pass through any US
Immigration post.
Records from the Nassau county clerk’s office in the state of New York revealed that Jude Ikechi Agbaso and an accomplice, Eugene Harding were on June 20, 1994 arrested and charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree. According to the police the incident began at 2.00pm on June 20, 1994. Jude Agbaso and Eugene Harding (his accomplice) were nabbed allegedly trying to defraud Abaraham & Strauss Department store on Roosevelt field, Old County Road in Carle place. The store in 1995 latter became Macy’s Department Store.
Jude Agbaso and his accomplice were reportedly attempting to purchase unspecified merchandize using counterfeit US $100 bills some of whose
serial numbers were recklessly duplicated.
A Grand Jury who initially examined the initial evidence in the case determined that Mr Jude Agbaso should be indicted for violating section
170.30 of the penal law of the state of New York. The charges read: “ aided and abetted by another on or about the 20th day of June 1994 in
the county of Nassau, State of New York with knowledge that it was forged and with intent to defraud, deceive or injure another, that defendant
uttered or possessed a forged instrument of a kind specified in section 170.15 of the penal law which was a written instrument which was or
purported to be or which was calculated to become or to represent, if completed part of an issue of money, stamps, securities or other valuable
instrument issued by a government instrumentality to wit US currency.”
Mr Jude Agbaso was granted only a conditional release for the alleged crime. He was therefore required to report regularly for probation as
ordered, refrain from illegal behavior, appear in court on demand, notify probation of changes in address or employment and answer all reasonable inquiries by probation. Anna Laurence Levielle described as Jude Agbaso’s fiancée then posted the $10,000 bail on June 23, 1994.
On July 11, 1994, Jude Agbaso failed to appear in court and Judge John Pesala issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr Jude Agbaso. Because he jumped bail his fiancée Levielle forfeited the US $10,000 bond she earlier posted on Jude Agbaso’s behalf on August 11, 1994.
On December 30, 1994, Jude Agbaso was indicted on indictment No. 90454. His fiancée’s forfeiture was classified as “felony No 16117/94 as was
signed by Judge Claire I Weinberg. Jude Agbaso was charged with one count of fraud for a total of seventeen ( 17) counts while his accomplice was charged with six (6) counts of fraud. It was officer Kenneth Taylor of the third (3rd) Precinct who retired from the force on April 10, 2011, who arrested Jude Ikechi Agbaso and his accomplice. The same Jude Agbaso was caught on a one count charge of disorderly conduct that “he was shouting at the top of his voice in public while registering his innocence of ‘other crimes’. According to Sahara Reporters who investigated the case, no evidence has been found to prove that Jude Agbaso has visited the U.S.A since he fled justice in 1994.
Later, Jude Agbaso ably represented by Mrs Laura Chukwuma his counsel “agreed” to pay a US$250 (two hundred and fifty dollars) fine for ‘his
disorderly conducts’ if only he could be set free. He paid this fee. Ostensibly, as a result of his acceptance to pay the above fine, David Sullivan, a New York Judge recently dismissed the 17- count criminal charge of criminal possession of “forged instrument” against him. The court also vacated the arrest warrant against Jude Agbaso in connection with the charge categorized as felony against him. And with this development the embattled deputy governor Chief (Sir) Jude Agbaso is now free to enter the United States of America!
That is dispensation of justice. A crime was allegedly committed by Sir Jude Agbaso in 1994. He was arrested and indicted. He was released on bail and from there he jumped bail. He later realized the enormity of the consequences of his crime(s), apparently had a rethink, accepted the
guilt, pleaded and paid the requisite fine and the matter was consequently closed.
Presently here in his home country Nigeria, a case of swindling is hovering over and around Chief (sir) Jude Ikechi Agbaso, the Deputy
Governor of Imo State Nigeria, West Africa. The matter is sequel to the Report of Imo State House of Assembly special Ad-hoc Committee “to
investigate the remote causes, stoppage/ abandonment of works on some roads in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe municipalities.
Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROS international Ltd alleged that he paid “a total sum of N458,000,000 (Four Hundred and Fifty Eight Million Naira only) between February and June 2012 at the request and directive of Sir Jude Agbaso” (the Deputy governor of Imo State). According to Mr. Joseph Dina, having paid the N458m into the accounts of the Deputy Governor (which was a bribe he gave to induce Sir Jude Agbaso to give him two other 15kms roads in another two local government areas of Imo state) he had no money left to continue the work namely the construction of 3 No. roads warehouse Orlu Road junction. Odunze street and Amaigbo Street Nekede Road). Mr. Joseph Dina provided the Imo State House of Assembly ad-hoc committee with his bank statements from Diamond Bank which shows clearly the transfer of the first and second money into Chief (Sir) Jude Agbaso’s bank accounts. JPROS International Limited representative, Mr. Dina went a step further; he presented photocopies of the cheques he issued to Diamond Bank Plc in order to make the e-payment to the account sent to him (Joseph Dina) through short message services (SMS) from His Excellency, Sir Jude Ikechi Agbaso. He provided Jude Agbaso’s phone No. 08033144421 through which the text message was sent to him and produced a copy of hand written statement showing how he used the money earlier paid to him.
In response to the allegation of payment of N458m into his account in two installments of (1) N325m and (2) N133m, His Excellency, Sir Jude Agbaso asked, “meeeeeeh”? He said, I did not give him any message. I did not give him any message. I did not demand for any money from him or receive any money directly or indirectly from Joseph.”
The Governor, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha (OON) who is reputed for his abhorrence of fraud was present during this interrogation. While the questions were going on, the Owelle interjected telling the Deputy Governor, “you are my son, tell me the truth,… did you receive anything,
any money from the contractor? The Governor went further to state, “Ok gentlemen……….now that this contractor wants to put shit on the face of the executive, the state government is interested in the matter and he set up a committee of all elders/ Advisers of the administration. The committee is led by Prof Francis Dike (SAN). The committee is to resolve any face off between the Deputy Governor and the House of Assembly, if any, but the House Ad-hoc committee should continue with their assignment and if any body is found guilty, he should pay for it including me the Governor.”
On Monday March 5th 2013 at about 10.00am the Deputy Governor appeared before the ad-hoc committee facing Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROs international Nig Ltd. They identified each other thus proving their familiarity. Before His Excellency, the Deputy Governor Imo State, Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROS said that the Deputy Governor, gave him account numbers via (his) telephone number 08033444421 directing him to pay a total sum of N458m into his two bank account numbers:0045630151 with GT bank Plc Lagos, account name “Three Brothers Concept Ltd and Jude Agbaso’s Wharf Road UBA Plc IHSAN BDC Ltd account No. 1015334698. JPROS allegedly said that he paid a sum of N133m in June to the latter bank account via his Diamond Bank Plc cheque No. 42613519, account No.033153351. To the former account, JPROS said he paid N325m drawn in his company’s cheque book No. 30794812 sort code No.0582665.11.
Sir Jude Agbaso denied the allegations or any involvement in the complicity of chiseling JPROS Ltd and the people of Imo state in particular.
The reader may see full text of the Ad-hoc committee’s report in the Nigerian Horn edition of March 11 – 12, 2013 pages 10-13. In summary, that committee stated that it holds the view that Mr. Joseph Dina of JPOROS International Ltd, Transferred the total sum of four hundred and Fifty Eight Million Naira only (N458,000,000) in two installments to bank accounts nominated by the Deputy Governor , His Excellency, Sir Jude Agbaso. It was this huge bribe sum demanded and collected by Sir Jude Agbaso from the contractor that caused the abandonment of work of the project in question.
They recommended to the House among other things that Chief (Sir) Jude Agbaso should be impeached as Deputy Governor of Imo state, Nigeria West Africa. But in a bizarre twist and to the utmost consternation and chagrin of most political observers, the embattled Deputy Governor turned around and alleged on Saturday, the 9th March, 2013 that his “recent trials and tribulations is as a result of 2015 permutations. He stated that his travails are because there is a subsisting agreement between his elder brother, Chief Martin Agbaso and Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha to hand over government to the people of Owerri zone in 2015.
Ever since this statement there has been an avalanche of what might be truly considered as diversionary comments, tactics, etc which when
carefully studied shows a calculated attempt to completely draw away the people’s attention from the real subject matter. For lovers of truth, justice and equity, the point here is simple:
1. Were the three roads earlier mentioned actually awarded to JPROS International Limited by the state government?
2. Have JPROs been fully paid for the job even though he has not completed the job?
3. Was there any transfer of funds(s) from JPROS International Ltd to any Bank account(s) linked to His Excellency, Sir Jude Agbaso (even if
remotely) since after the 100% payment of the unaccomplished job? If answers to the above questions are in the negative then the Imo State
law- makers should leave the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso alone. But if answers to the above questions are “Yes” the recent efforts of the
house in seeking to serve Sir Agbaso an impeachment notice even through substituted means is laudable and every action here should be expedited to nip in the bud all corruptive tendencies in the Rescue Mission Administration of His Excellency, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha (OON).
In our informed view, even the opposition members of PDP in the State House of Assembly should demonstrate their patriotism at ensuring that
justice is not only done in this matter, but that it is seen truly done since they represent various constituencies who are watching and waiting
to see if indeed PDP will attempt to aid and abet the crime of chiseling in the executive arm. Most constituencies presently represented by PDP law makers have vowed to ensure that (if Sir Jude Agbaso is truly guilty of the swindling and if for any reason the members renege on endorsing his impeachment) they will go through the process of recalling them.
To avoid such ugly situation happening in Imo state, the House of Assembly may need to borrow a leaf from the district court in Nassau County New York who had in 1994 arrested Jude Agbaso for a criminal felony and ensured that he paid US$250 fine having accepted guilt for his disorderly conducts.”
If this is done, the confidence reposed in the legislature of Imo State of Nigeria shall be enhanced.
THE WORLD IS WATCHING!!!