Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, has arrested the South-East chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Austin Umahi.
He was arrested on Monday over his
alleged involvement in a N400m fraud linked to former President
Jonathan’s 2015 campaign fund.
Austin, a brother to the current
governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, was arrested along with two
others, Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo.
The suspects, all staff of Brass
Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal
Resort, were arrested, following their refusal to collect and honour
invitation by EFCC for questioning in an ongoing investigation involving
both companies.
While Austin Umahi doubles as the
chairman of both companies, Egwuche and Dikibo are also signatories to
the companies’ accounts.
According to an EFCC source,
investigations by the Commission revealed that the N400m was released by
the Director of Finance, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation,
Senator Nenadi Usman, to PDP Ebonyi State, for the 2015 presidential
election.
The said fund was moved from Fidelity
Bank, Abakaliki on 27th of March 2015, where it was initially deposited
to an Access Bank Abakaliki account.
The source added that one Maxwell Umahi
further moved N100m and N300m respectively, into the accounts of Brass
Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited and Osborn La-Palm Royal
Resort respectively.
“One of the suspects, Chinyere Egwuche
subsequently withdrew the N300m paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm,
which according to her was used to finance further construction of
Osborn La-Palm Hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port Harcourt, while the
N100m paid into the account of Brass Engineering & Construction
Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith
Foundation.
“Though investigation is still ongoing,
the above mentioned companies have been traced to the Ebonyi State
governor,” the source further stated.
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