The Anambra State Government has apprehended one Mr. Obinna Okechukwu, a trader at Nnewi Motorcycle spare parts for alleged diversion of government funds into his private account.

Okechukwu, who is the Chairman of the New Motorcycle Spare Parts is said to have been the official government revenue agent for the market for a while but had subsequently abandoned government approved receipts to collect and divert monies from the levies into his private account using his own doctored receipt

While handing him over to the men of the Department for State Services, the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Markets and Wealth Creation, Dr. Christian Mmadubuko, said that information earlier gathered by the ministry showed that Okechukwu had been dubiously collecting illegal revenue on behalf of government as well as issuing fake receipt without remitting the money into government coffers.

According to Mmadubuko, the suspect claimed that he has paid in ten million naira into government coffers and still have about seven million naira left to remit.

“He also admitted that he stopped other members of the Market Executive from being involved in revenue collection with a promise to settle them with the money generated.

“Full investigation will be carried out by security agencies to help expose those who divert government funds,” Madubuko added.

The Commissioner warned revenue agents in the state to desist from diverting monies meant for the government saying that sharp practices will not be tolerated.

He disclosed that about ten market leaders had already been prosecuted with all diverted money recovered and paid back into government coffers.

Narrating his side of the story, Okechukwu said he had been using the receipt to collect tax in the market saying that every other market in Nnewi use it.

He, however, claimed that a particular informant fabricated the story of him diverting money which led to his arrest.

Okechukwu maintained that as he had paid a total of ten million naira within three months of coming into office.

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