More trouble looms for embattled former Governor of Imo, Senator Rocha’s
\nAnayo Okorocha as forensic auditors and anti-graft czars try to make
\nsense of the sleaze that went on in the state while he held sway for
\neight years of two four year terms.<\/p>\n
Documents uncovered by the investigators and in possession of
\nPointblanknews.com, have also thrown up many questions bothering on
\nfinancial recklessness, greed, impunity and outright stealing in the
\nOkorocha government spanning 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.<\/p>\n
The documents involving over N24 billions and pertaining to one account
\nof the Imo State Government with Zenith Bank, reflect flagrant disregard
\nfor financial procedure and deliberate manipulation of process,
\namounting to outright stealing or embezzlement of public funds.<\/p>\n
Of significance is the disbursement of funds to a suspiciously
\nfictitious company, Zigreat International Company, with registered
\noffice address in Ogboko, home place of Okorocha in Ideato South of Imo
\nState but could not be traced by investigators.<\/p>\n
A cursory review of statements obtained show that 90% of transactions
\ninvolving the said Zigreat International Company running into billions
\nof naira were often masked, sometimes with the purpose for disbursements
\nnot stated.<\/p>\n
Similarly, it was noted that nearly all cheques issued by the Imo State
\nGovernment in the period under review were drawn in the names of two
\npersons, namely; Ken Ijomah and one Ugorji E. U, identified as cash
\nofficers under the office of the office of the Permanent Secretary,
\nGovernment House, Owerri.<\/p>\n
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the said Ijomah and Ugorji cashed
\ncheques running into billions, even when the beneficiaries are private
\nfirms, prompting investigators to wonder whether the so-called companies
\nexist or whether it was one person that handled all government contracts
\nunder Okorocha’s watch.<\/p>\n
According to one of the investigators, “the documents suggest that the
\nidentified cashers ran errands for a big man. Definitely not the
\nPermanent Secretary. But I can tell you its a very cheap way to steal.
\nAre you saying that the so called Zigreat International Company does not
\nhave a bank account?”, he asked.<\/p>\n
Continuing, our source revealed that Ken Ijomah, who Pointblanknews.com
\nconfirmed is now retired from the Imo State Government, cashed 80\u2030 of
\nthe money from account number 1006251232 with Zenith Bank. “Cheques were
\ndrawn in his name, mostly in multiples of N10 million”, he added.<\/p>\n
Expectedly, the former Governor may soon meet face to face with his
\nnemesis as forensic auditors put their acts together to confront him on
\nthe malfeasance noticed in addition to asking the Imo State Government
\nto press criminal charges.<\/p>\n
This is apart from the war of attrition between Okorocha and incumbent
\nGovernor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, culminations in the arrest, detention
\nand arraignment of the former Governor by the police for breaking into a
\nproperty belonging to the Imo State Government.<\/p>\n
Okorocha last week led thugs to unseal the Royal Palm Estate, allegedly
\nowned by his wife, but said to have been built with funds from the
\ngovernment, an action which Uzodinma considered criminal and ordered for
\nthe arrest.<\/p>\n
Uzodinma had earlier ordered the immediate takeover of the Royal Palm
\nEstate in Owerri, the state capital and the Eastern Palm University,
\nwhich ownership were claimed by the former Governor as well as ten other
\nproperties recommended to be confiscated by a panel of enquiry.<\/p>\n
Angered by Uzodinma’s order, Okorocha reportedly engaged in self-help by
\nmobilising alleged thugs to unseal the estate while threatening to deal
\nwith the incumbent Governor, leading to his arrest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
More trouble looms for embattled former Governor of Imo, Senator Rocha’s Anayo Okorocha as forensic auditors and anti-graft czars try to make sense of the sleaze that went on in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n