Activist seeks ruling on fraud charges on Chukwulozie, Ogungbe

Activist seeks ruling on fraud charges on Chukwulozie, Ogungbe

Chuks Udo Okonta

A Human Right Activist and Lawyer, Austin Agu has appealed to the judiciary to speedily hear the fraud cases against the former Commissioner for Insurance, Emmanuel Chukwulozie and the Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Finance and Administration) five years after it was instituted.

He made the appeal in a statement stating that a situation where government officials accused of fraud and misapplication of funds are denied the opportunity to continue with their lives for upward of five years without any serious prosecution does not speak well of the justice system in the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), acting on the petitions filed by the former Minister of State for Finance, Dr.(Mrs.) Nenadi Usman, commenced prosecution of the three top officers of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) following their suspension from office by the Federal Government.

Chukwulozie is standing trial alongside the former Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Finance and Administration), Mrs. Ogungbe.  They were accused of having spent N170 million of public fund without any budgetary provision.

He noted that the case against the officers were instituted in 2007 and that five years after, there was no sign of serious prosecution going on, adding that each time the cases comes up in court for hearing, it is adjourned on flimsy excuses by the prosecution.

Agu regretted that while the case continued, the accused have been suffering untold hardships as a result of being deprived of a means of livelihood, because according to him, the accused cannot secure any other job after losing their jobs in the commission with the case still on in court.

He therefore, appealed to the judiciary to discharge and acquit the officers if the prosecution is not ready to come up with concrete evidence against them so that they can continue with their normal lives.

“I have followed this fraud case with keen interest since it was instituted by the EFCC over five years ago.  Each time the case is called up, the prosecution would fail to produce a key witness or ask for adjournment on flimsy excuses.

“While this has continued the three accused have been suffering in silence having been denied their means of livelihood.  They should be allowed to go and continue with their lives, look for fresh jobs and run their respective families and business if the government job is no longer there for them,” he said.

Agu further noted that government runs the risk of being accused of carrying out vendetta should it continue with the trial of the accused without any serious attempts to prove them guilty and therefore called for speedily trial of the accused.

“Government may be accused of vendetta against the accused if after five years the case is still on without any form of seriousness on the part of the prosecution.  I therefore, appeal to the Federal Government and the judiciary to please let the officers go and continue with their lives if nothing is found against them instead of tormenting them for no reason,” he said.

Details of the case against the three offices according to Usman include awarding a contract for the purchase of official vehicles to the tune of N130 million, supply of office furniture and equipment to the tune of N15 million.

Other charges include custom duty irregularities to the tune of N17.5 million, award of contract for the Motor Vehicle Insurance Sticker (VISER) and fraudulent recapitalization exercise as well as other cases of sharp practices.