The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign the former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha before the Federal High Court, Abuja on corruption charges.
Okorocha, who is a serving senator representing Imo West Senatorial district, had been slammed with a 17-count charge by the anti-graft agency over his alleged conspiracy in a N2.9 billion fraud.
However, debunking the allegations by the agency, Okorocha accused the Imo State Government of owing him the sum of N8billion, insisting that he can never steal from the State as he is richer than it.
Others charged alongside him include a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, and five companies, including Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
EFCC alleged that the defendants had between October 2014 and February 2016, conspired and diverted public funds into running into billions of naira and properties into private accounts for their personal use.
The agency further alleged that the defendants sequentially siphoned funds from the Imo State Government House account and Imo State Joint Local Government Project account, and diverted same into accounts of private firms.
The arraignment is expected to be presided over by Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo.
