EFCC arrests Ebonyi Speaker over N60m constituency project fund

EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly Hon, Ogbonnaya Francis Nwaifuru, for allegedly misappropriating N60m constituency project fund.

The said cash was allegedly diverted by the Speaker before his emergence as the head of the State Assembly.

The Speaker was being grilled as at press time on how he expended the constituency project cash.

Also, the anti-graft agency has picked up one Tonwerigha Oyintonbra Tombrown for allegedly duping an Irish businesswoman, Izabela Glogowska, of €53,000 (equivalent of N11.6million) in an Internet scam

The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that the Ebonyi Speaker was “picked up at about 1100 hours on Friday at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, by operatives of the Commission, after he spurned two previous invitations by the agency.

Nwaifuru was first invited on October 20, 2015, to appear before the Enugu zonal office of the Commission, but did not respond to the invitation. A reminder letter was sent to him on November 19, 2015, which he also failed to respond to it.

“The lawmaker who is representing Izzi West state constituency in the Ebonyi State Assembly, allegedly diverted and misappropriated N60m constituency project fund before his emergence as speaker.”

In a separate statement, the EFCC said it has arrested one Tonwerigha Oyintonbra Tombrown for allegedly duping an Irish businesswoman, Izabela Glogowska to the tune of €53,000 (equivalent of N11.6million) in an Internet scam.

The EFCC’s spokesman said: “Glogowska alleged that Tombrown who posed as a prominent online trader, Michael Freeman, tricked her into sending him €1,000 via Western Union/Money gram as payment for a business deal.

“She added that he later pretended to be one Ben Andrews demanding for an additional €10,000 claiming that there was a policy change.

“The same Andrews advised her to send the money to Tombrown in Nigeria, who ended up diverting the money to a fake account.

“Efforts to recover her money proved abortive, hence she petitioned the EFCC.

The suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”