EFCC Files Fraud Charges Against Innoson Boss, Others

In a letter by the Head of Legal and Prosecution for the EFCC, A.B.C. Ozioko, dated November 30, the commission noted that the four charges were bordering on conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, obtaining property by false pretense, stealing and forgery.

The other defendants in the case are Innoson Nigeria Limited and Charles Chukwuma.

This comes days after the EFCC released Mr Innocent Chukwuma, following his arrest by the commission at his Enugu residence.

The spokesman for the anti-graft agency, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said Mr Chukwuma was arrested following his refusal to respond to earlier invitations by the commission.

He said the businessman who runs a local auto assembly plant was initially granted administrative bail by the commission while his surety could also not be found.

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“His arrest followed his refusal to honour invitation by the commission having earlier jumped an administrative bail granted him in a case being investigated by the Capital Market and Insurance Fraud Unit of the Commission’s Lagos office,” a statement by Mr Uwujaren, read.

The arrest, however, sparked criticism and attracted the attention of the Senate which mandated its Committee on Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption to investigate the actions of the EFCC.

Channel Television had reported that although he was released a day after he was arrested, the Innoson Group disagreed with the anti-graft agency and faulted the allegations levelled against its CEO.

In a statement signed by its Head of Corporate Communications, Cornel Osigwe, the group said Chukwuma never ignored invitations extended to him by the commission, neither did he mobilised thugs to manhandle any EFCC official.

“Chukwuma is a law-abiding citizen; there is no how he would be invited by the EFCC and he would ignore or refuse to honour the invitation. Dr Chukwuma has never had any issues or query from the EFCC recently.

“The last issue he had with EFCC was an invitation extended to him in 2012 based on a complaint against him by Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), which he duly honoured.

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“We challenge EFCC to show proof and evidence of EFCC invitation extended to Dr Chukwuma; the various dates of the invitation and the letter of the invitation extended to him,” the statement had read.

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