New Telegraph

Obiano must meet bail conditions to regain freedom –EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has expressed its readiness to grant the immediate past Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano bail once he meets the set conditions for his freedom.

 

The Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said this on the side-lines of the 5th Annual General Assembly (AGA) meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa in Abuja yesterday.

 

Obiano, who is being investigated by the antigraft body over an alleged N42 billion fraud, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on his way out of the country hours after handing over to Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in Awka on Thursday.

 

Asked whether the EFF had obtained a court order empowering them to keep Obiano beyond the 48 hours allowed by law, Bawa said: “He has been granted administrative    bail, but we are waiting for him to meet the bail conditions.”

 

Asked whether the arrest was politically motivated as it is being speculated, the EFCC chief said: “Nothing political about the arrest of the former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano.”

 

 

The EFCC is investigating Obiano, who governed Anambra for eight years on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for allegedly misappropriating N5 billion Sure-P funds and N37 billion Security Vote.

 

“Part of the funds were (allegedly) diverted to finance political activities in the state,” a source claimed. Some of the ex-governor’s confidants, including ex-APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, were quoted to have said: “One thing I keep telling people is that former governor, Obiano did wonderfully well with Anambra’s money.”

 

Meanwhile, the EFCC said disciplinary action had been initiated against its official found to have circulated a video showing the former governor in its custody. Spokesman for the agency Wilson Uwujaren said in a statement: “The Commission wishes to distance itself from the said video which is completely at variance with the established Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC.

“A discreet investigation ordered upon discovery of the leak has revealed the errant officer behind the odious act and he is currently being subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.”

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