Okorocha Arraigned In Court Over N2.9bn Fraud – Remanded in EFCC Custody
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a presidential aspirant and former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Rochas Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly, was brought before Justice Inyang Ekwo on Monday in the country’s capital.
The former governor is being tried on a 17-count charge to the tune of N2.9 billion fraud filed against him by the anti-graft agency.
Okorocha was accused of conspiring with others, including a member of the APC and five companies to steal from public coffers. He has however denied it as he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The second defendant in the suit, Anyim Chinenye, as well as the five companies also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Okorocha’s arraignment comes three days after he lost the bid to be admitted on bail. This was pending the determination of a suit he had instituted against the Federal Government.
However, the former Imo State Governor has been remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the determination of his bail application.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the remand order on Monday, May 30th.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and an ally to the ex-governor, Anyim Chinenye, is also expected to join Okorocha in the EFCC custody.
Okorocha, Chinenye and five companies were arraigned on 17 counts of money laundering filed by the EFCC.
Okorocha has been in EFCC custody since Tuesday last week following an event that played out when a team of operatives stormed his residence in Maitama, Abuja to arrest him.
The team, who insisted that Okorocha must submit himself for arrest or honour a long-standing invitation to their office, later surrounded his residence.
After a while, gunshots were heard as the anti-graft agency’s team broke into Okorocha’s house and left with him to their office.
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