Tag: Corruption - Page 2 - African News Today

1Jun

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Finance, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Okorocha Gets Bail, Leaves EFCC Custody

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered a former governor of Imo State and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Rochas Okorocha, to remain in custody until he perfects the conditions attached to his bail. Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order after admitting the ex-governor to bail in the sum of N500m and one surety in the like sum. Admitted also to bail by Justice Inyang Ekwo is his co-accused, Anyim Nyerere, who was sighted in a 17-count that majored on money laundering. For Nyerere, the court ordered that he should continue on the administrative bail granted him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for exhibiting good conduct while on bail. The court ordered that Okorocha’s surety must have a property in Abuja not below N500m and the ...

US Seizes Ex-Gambian Leader Jammeh’s $3.5m Mansion

27May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Corruption, Gambia, Justice, News

US Seizes Ex-Gambian Leader Jammeh’s $3.5m Mansion

The US Justice Department says it has secured the forfeiture of a mansion bought by former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh for $3.5m (£2.7m) with alleged corruption proceeds. The property in Potomac, Maryland, is said to have been acquired through a trust set up by his wife, Zineb Jammeh. It has now been forfeited to the US along with all rental income generated by the property since a complaint was filed in 2020, a statement by the department said. “The United States intends to sell the property, and recommend to the Attorney General that the net proceeds from the sale of the forfeited property be used to benefit the people of The Gambia harmed by former President Jammeh’s acts of corruption and abuse of office,” the department said. Read Also: FG Approves an NGO to M...

EFCC Operatives Storm Okorocha’s Abuja Residence, Arrest Him

25May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Finance, News, Nigeria

EFCC Operatives Storm Okorocha’s Abuja Residence, Arrest Him

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arrested the former Imo State governor and presidential aspirant, Rochas Okorocha, at his Maitama, Abuja residence. Though the security operatives met stiff resistance from the supporters of the former governor, tear gas was fired to disperse them to effect the arrest. The anti-graft agency said it laid siege to the home of the former governor to arrest him, accusing him of jumping bail granted him by the commission. EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, said the move followed the refusal of Okorocha to honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the commission. Read Also: EFCC Arrests Accountant General, Idris For Alleged N80b Fraud According to Uwujaren, th...

$4.7m Malawi Covid Fund Missing After Audit

22May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Corruption, Covid-19, Finance, Malawi, News

$4.7m Malawi Covid Fund Missing After Audit

An audit into Covid spending in Malawi has found that around $4.7m (£3.7m) cannot be accounted for from $21m set aside to deal with the second phase of the pandemic. This is on top of $881m from the first phase that a 2020 audit showed had been spent irregularly or was not accounted for. After the first audit, President Lazarus Chakwera promised to crack down on the culprits and several officials were taken to court, though none of the cases have yet concluded. The latest investigation - a 66-page report by the country’s auditor general - lists the irregularities, which include undelivered medical supplies, allowances paid without attendance sheets and fuel acquired without official documentation. Read Also: Face Masks Now Optional, COVID-19 Restrictions To Go Soon – FG ...

Properties In Abuja, Lagos, London, Dubai Allegedly Linked To Arrested Accountant-General

20May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Finance, News, Nigeria

Properties In Abuja, Lagos, London, Dubai Allegedly Linked To Arrested Accountant-General

Properties across London, Dubai, Lagos and Abuja have been allegedly linked to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over N80 billion fraud. This was disclosed by a source in the anti-graft agency, who preferred anonymity, on Thursday. According to the source, the missing fund is actually more than N80 billion, as the agency only quoted the figure based on its current findings. The source said, “Though we are currently investigating the whole issue but it is certain that the said fraud is worth more than N80 billion. Read Also: EFCC Arrests Accountant General, Idris For Alleged N80b Fraud “It is true that some properties in London, Dubai, Lagos and Abuja are linked to the Accountant-Genera...

N80bn: Accountant-General’s Arrest Proves IPPIS is Fraud – ASUU

19May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Education, Finance, News, Nigeria

N80bn: Accountant-General’s Arrest Proves IPPIS is Fraud – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the arrest of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has buttressed its notion that IPPIS is fraud. The union said this while reacting to Idris’s arrest over alleged money laundering and diversion of N80bn. ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, speaking with DailyTrust, warned that the case should not be covered up, stating that IPPIS is just a fraud used by the Accountant-General to siphon funds and not control corruption. He said: “We have said it over and over again that IPPIS is a fraud. We’ve also said that the Accountant-General office is a fraud, and they are using IPPIS to relocate all the fraud activities to one centre, which is the Accoun...

EFCC Arrests Accountant General, Idris For Alleged N80b Fraud

17May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Finance, News, Nigeria

EFCC Arrests Accountant General, Idris For Alleged N80b Fraud

EFCC Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested serving Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80 billion. He was arrested yesterday in Kano State and was immediately moved to Abuja last night. EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest in a statement. He said the funds were allegedly laundered through real estate investments in Kano and Abuja. “The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates,” Uwujaren said. According to sources, after progress was made in the investigation, Idris was su...

21Apr

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria, Uncategorized

Buhari Explains Pardon Granted Ex-Gov

Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame President Muhammadu Buhari says his anti-corruption war is on course despite the pardon granted to two former State chief executives. Former Governors of Plateau (Joshua Dariye) and Taraba (Jolly Nyame) were recently given a clean bill years after conviction for graft. Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu clarified the recent note presented to the Council of State after the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) report. His statement Wednesday night said it was a culmination of a process begun by the convicts and others concerned in line with the constitution. Shehu maintained that Section 175 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowers the President to exercise his constitutional powers to grant a pardon. ...

Pardoning Corrupt Persons Impairs Existence Of Anti-Graft Agencies – Wike

19Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Pardoning Corrupt Persons Impairs Existence Of Anti-Graft Agencies – Wike

Nyesom WIke Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, insisted that the presidential pardon for persons prosecuted on corruption charges only suggests that there “is no need to have anti-corruption agencies in the country.” He wondered how to explain the embarrassment the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) is made to suffer by the action, as they have been made to be irrelevant. A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the governor spoke during an interaction with delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, as part of his ongoing consultations ahead of its May 28 and 29 presidential primary. Wike said: “This is the same government that complained that the judic...

I Weep For Nigeria, SAN Faults Pardon Of Nyame, Dariye

16Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Corruption, Finance, News, Nigeria

I Weep For Nigeria, SAN Faults Pardon Of Nyame, Dariye

Justice A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa, has faulted the presidential pardon granted to former governors of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye; and Taraba State, Rev Jolly Nyame. The lawyer noted that he wept after hearing that Dariye and Nyame were pardoned. The National Council of State had on Thursday endorsed the pardon of Dariye, Nyame and 157 other convicts following the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy. The 12-member committee, inaugurated by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in 2018 is headed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. Dariye and Nyame were jailed for stealing N1.16bn and N1.6bn, respectively. He wondered why the Presid...