Alleged N1.4bn fraud: EFCC drags NBA President, Paul Usoro to court, indicts Akwa Ibom gov

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, filed an alleged charge of N1.4 billion fraud against the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Paul Usoro, SAN.

Usoro was charged before the Federal High Court in Lagos. The charge sheet, marked FHC/418c/18, was filed before Justice Muslim Hassan. However Justice Hassan adjourned till December 10, 2018, for the arraignment of the NBA President.

In the charge, sighted Vanguard, the EFCC claimed that Usoro converted and laundered the money in connivance with the Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.  Governor Emmanuel was, however, not listed as a defendant in the charge, as the EFCC indicated that he is “currently constitutionally immuned against criminal prosecution.”

Also charged alongside Usoro were one Nsikan Nkan, described as Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State; one Mfon Udomah, described as the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State; one Uwemedimo Nwoko, described as the Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; and Margaret Ukpe, all of whom were said to be at large.

The Commission claimed that Usoro, in connivance with the others mentioned, conspired among them to commit the offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.” The anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.4bn allegedly converted and laundered by the defendants belonged to the Akwa Ibom State Government.   Vanguard