Court remands Okorocha in EFCC custody over N2.9 billion fraud
A Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded Senator Rochas Okorocha in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly laundering N2.9 billion while serving as Imo State governor.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: EFCC arrests Rochas Okorocha
Okorocha, who is currently the senator representing Imo West, had declared his intention to run for president in the 2023 elections before he was arrested by operatives of the anti-graft corruption agency last Tuesday.
However, he pleaded not guilty to a 17-count money laundering charge.
“I understand the charge against me, but I am not guilty, My Lord,” Okorocha said.
Following the plea of the defendants, Okey Amaechi, Okorocha’s lawyer, prayed the court to grant bail to his client pending the determination of the case.
He drew the attention of the court to the fact that his client was forcefully arrested before APC’s presidential screening.
“My Lord, without a warrant of arrest from this court, they went into the house of the defendant, broke into it, and arrested him in a gestapo manner,” Amaechi said.
However, Gbolahan Latona, EFCC counsel, told the court that Okorocha raised some issues in his bail application that he would want to file a response to.
The EFCC also accused the former governor of deliberately evading service of the charge and refusing to make himself available for trial.
Okorocha was arraigned alongside Anyim Chinenye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and five companies, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.
The presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, fixed Tuesday to hear the bail applications of the defendants and remanded them in EFCC custody, pending the determination of their bail request.
The court also fixed November 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 for trial.
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