Court orders remand of Okorocha over money laundering allegation

A Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, for alleged money laundering.

He was accused of laundering funds to the tune of N2.9 billion while serving as governor of Imo State.

He was arraigned alongside Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited as 2nd to 7th defendants respectively before Justice Inyang Ekwo

They are being charged with 17 counts bordering on money laundering.

Justice Ekwo ruled that Okorocha and other defendants should be remanded in the EFCC custody and adjourned the case till Tuesday for the hearing of bail application.

According to the EFCC, Okorocha allegedly conspired with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and five companies to steal N2.9 billion in public funds.

The senator representing Imo West was forcefully arrested on Tuesday when operatives of the EFCC broke into his Abuja home after a seven-hour siege.

The commission had said the arrest was necessitated by Okorocha’s refusal to attend his trial.

Okorocha had approached the court with an ex parte motion on Friday seeking bail on the grounds that he is a presidential hopeful on the platform of the APC and that his political ambition would be jeopardised if not granted bail.

However, Inyang Ekwo, the judge, refused the bail application.

Instead, the judge ordered Okorocha to put the Federal Government on notice to appear in court to defend his detention.