Nigeria: Politicians Use EFCC to Settle Scores, Says Onyimba

Awka — A lawyer, Enekwechi Raymond Onyimba, has decried the negative influence some politicians bring to bear on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying that they now use the anti-corruption agency to settle scores.

According to Onyimba, such tendencies deny the anti-graft body of the much needed public goodwill and confidence. Onyimba, a Port Harcourt based lawyer, was recently arraigned by EFCC at the Federal High Court, Enugu on a two-count charge bothering on fraud and obtaining property under false pretence. EFCC alleged that he had sometime in 2006 in Enugu, fraudulently converted to his personal use, a Statutory Certificate of Occupancy dated August 17, 1990, registered as No 85 page 85 volume 1315 of the Enugu State Land Registry in respect of Plot 622 Trans Ekulu, New GRA, Enugu. He was accused of inducing the owners of the property, Enyinnaya Igwe and Ezechukwu Chidozie Maxwell, to place under his care and custody, the property worth N30 million under the false pretense that the said Statutory Certificate of Occupancy would be released when he fully sells the land. But Onyimba, who spoke with journalists, disclosed that after suffering undue incarceration for eight days in EFCC cell, he was forced to pay three million disputed debts with Diamond Bank Plc. He blamed his political rivals for the EFCC action despite a pending matter in the Federal High Court, Enugu Division in suit No: FHC/EN/CS/5/12, OJAZ Nigeria Limited Vs Diamond Bank Plc. Onyimba said his detractors were instigated to breach due process, following his suit, FHC/EN/CS/186/2013 Barrister Enekwechi Raymond Onyimba Vs Mathanus Nnanna Nzeh and two others, challenging the outcome of the recent local council poll in Enugu.

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