The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Enugu Zonal Office, has arrested the Acting Accountant-General of Imo State, Mr. Uzoho Casmir, on suspicion of laundering the sum of N1.050 billion.

The cash was allegedly withdrawn in three tranches between Tuesday and Thursday.

EFCC believes that the money was meant for vote buying.

The suspect, who was arrested on Thursday, was in custody at press yesterday.

An EFCC source said: “We have intelligence report that cash was withdrawn through a new generation bank for use by the state government.

“Casmir’s arrest followed intelligence report that the state government intended to use the money for vote buying in favour of a particular candidate in Saturday’s gubernatorial election.”

He said intelligence further revealed to the EFCC that Casmir withdrew the amount in three tranches between Tuesday and Thursday this week in the following order: N200 million on Tuesday, N500 million on Wednesday and N350 million on Thursday.

The source claimed that the EFCC had taken pre-emptive steps to stop further withdrawal from the affected accounts.

“We have blocked the traced accounts while the arrested Accountant General has been providing useful information to the Commission,” he said.

Casmir, he said further, was before his appointment a Director of Finance in Okorocha’s government and was “in 2016 questioned over N2 billion bailout fund given to the state by the Federal Government for the payment of salary arrears of civil servants.”

The Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade, confirmed the arrest of the Imo State Accountant-General.

•Excerpted from The Nation report

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