Alleged N785M Fraud: Court Orders Arrest Of Imo Deputy Speaker, Iwuanyawu

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has granted an order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and detain Deputy Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Amarachi Iwuanyawu over alleged N785 million fraud.

The Imo state lawmaker is also the Chairman of an Abuja based Sun Gold Estate Limited.

Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the order on Friday while ruling in an ex-parte application moved by the Executive Chairman of EFCC.

Justice Ekwo ordered that when apprehended, the lawmaker should be detained till February 23 next year when he is expected to be brought to the court by the anti-graft agency.

In the ex-parte application moved by counsel to the commission, Olarewaju Adeola, Iwuanyawu was alleged to have in 2012 entered into an agreement with another Abuja Company, Hokiz Investment Limited.

In the agreement, Sun Gold Estate Limited agreed to build 14 units of 4 bedrooms terrace and one block of 6 flats on the land of Hokiz Investment Limited at Mabushi in Abuja.

The two parties agreed that 40 percent of the buildings would be allocated to Hokiz Investment Limited being the owner of the land while Sun Gold Estate, as developer would retain 60 percent.

However, upon completion, Sun Gold Estate Limited was said to have sold off all the buildings without the knowledge of the land owner.

The value of the 40 percent of the buildings put at N785M was said to have been made away with by the Chairman of the Estate Developer.

EFCC informed the court that a petition signed by Abdullahi Malik, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN on behalf of the aggrieved party was being investigated.

The anti-graft agency however lamented that all efforts to make Amarachi Iwuanyawu honour its invitations in respect of the allegations were rebuffed, hence, the request for court order to apprehend him.

EFCC claimed that information at its disposal revealed that the suspect has escaped to the United States of America.

Justice Ekwo after scrutinizing exhibits placed before the court along with convincing arguments of EFCC’S lawyer, Mr Olarewaju Adeola ordered that the anti-graft agency go after the suspect, arrest, detain and produce him in court on February 23 next year.

The EFCC’S ex-parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2124/2022 was predicated on section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud, section 35 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 3, 37, 39 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.