Former Imo State commissioner of transport, Laseberry Okafor Anyanwu, has been sentenced to three years imprisonment on a four-count charge of abuse of office and fraudulent diversion of ₦180,000,000.
Anyanwu was a commissioner during the tenure of Rochas Okorocha as governor.
A spokesman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement said Anyanwu while being employed as the chairman committee on the Review of Imo Transport Company used his office to confer corrupt advantage upon himself.
Uwujaren added that Anyanwu diverted ₦180,000,000 from the account of the Imo Transport Company to Oma Oil & Industries Ltd, a company in which he has an interest through phoney contracts.
“Prince Laseberry Okafor Anyanwu aka Laseberry Okafor between the 6th day of November 2017 and the 10th day of November 2017, while being employed as the Chairman, of the Committee on Review of Imo Transport Company, used his office to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself when he caused the transfer of the N100,000,000.00(One Hundred Million Naira only) property of Imo Transport Company’s account with Imo State Microfinance bank’s Polaris bank account to the Polaris bank account No:40906668828 belonging to Oma Oil & Industries Ltd, a company in which he is a Shareholder/Director/Chairman/Chief Executive and signatory to the bank accounts of the said company,” one of the counts read.
In the trial, Anyanwu pleaded not guilty to all counts. In the course of the problem, the prosecution called three witnesses and tendered several documents which were admitted in evidence as exhibits.
Justice K. A Lewanya, while delivering the judgment, held that the prosecution had proved the case against the defendant.
The court convicted Anyanwu and sentenced him to three years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
