By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, (Owerri)
An Imo State High Court sitting in Owerri, the state capital, has sentenced a former commissioner for transport in Imo State, Laz Okaforanyanwu for a three year imprisonment.
Okaforanyanwu, who served during the administration of the former govenor Rochas Okorocha, was on Tuesday, March 14th, sentenced after he was found guilty of the charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice K. A Lewanya, while sentencing the ex-commissioner on tuesday disclosed that the jail term would run concurrently.
According to him, “the convict was found guilty of fraud, looting of public funds and stealing.”
The judge further stated that the former commissioner was found guilty of diverting 180 million naira of state funds into a private company account where he was a major shareholder and sole signatory when he superintended and doubled as Commissioner for transport and the Chairman Interim committee of the Imo state transport company ITC which he said is against section 12 and 19 of the ICPC act 2020.
The judge pointed that Anyanwu by that action had violated the public procurement act, abuse of office and using his office to gain undue advantage in his dealings during his tenure as the commissioner for transport and the Chairman Interim committee of the Imo state transport company ITC.
The Court stated that the EFCC lawyer, Micheal Ani was able to proof beyond reasonable doubt that when Anyanwu was commissioner for transport between 2015 and 2019, he transferred the sum of N100 million from the ITC account to his private company named Oma oil industries Limited which is against section 12 and 19 of the ICPC act 2020 for a public servant.
The judge also said that the ex commissioner signed off another 80 million naira from government coffers directly to his private company account with the motive that he wanted to procure some vehicles for ITC without due process and recourse to the public procurement act.
Justice Leweanya while sentencing him to prison ordered that the looted sum of N180 million found in his account be forfeited to the state transport company.
