The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday, July 28, announced that it found a total of N540 million in the account of a public primary school teacher with a salary of N76,000.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has also ordered the final forfeiture of N120 million traced to the teacher, Roseline Egbuha who teaches at Ozala Primary School, Abagana, Anambra State.
How the suspects tried to hide funds.
ICPC explained that the teacher who was on a monthly salary of N76,000 as of the time of her arrest in 2020 had N540 million in her bank account with Guaranty Trust Bank.
It said investigations by ICPC revealed Mrs Egbuha was involved in money laundering thereby prompting the commission to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on her account.
The suspect, however, obtained a court order from the Federal High Court, Abuja, lifting the PND placed on the account, according to ICPC. She was said to have then promptly withdrawn the money and distributed it into multiple bank accounts owned by Bureau de Change operators and private individuals.
ICPC listed Mrs Egbuha’s alleged accomplices to include: James Erebouye, Emon Okune, Chisom Iwueke, Alonge Ojo, Maureen Chidimma, Owoyemi Mayowa and Ejeaka Ifeoma. It also said two private companies were charged to court over fraudulent activities and warehousing proceeds of the alleged crimes.
The judge, after taking arguments from counsel to the ICPC and the respondents, ruled that the funds found in seven individual bank accounts and that of two private companies should be forfeited to the federal government.
The forfeiture order includes N30.8 million in a Polaris Bank account of Dorason Construction Ltd, N17.4 million traced to a Sterling Bank account of James Erebouye and N16.4 million found in the Zenith Bank account of Dybako and Sons Nig Ltd.
Another accomplice, Ojo Alonge will also forfeit to the Federal Government, N14.1 million traced to two separate accounts with First Bank and Ecobank respectively. Owoyemi Mayowa on her part forfeited N7.1 million held in Zenith Bank.
Furthermore, the final forfeiture order includes the sum of N8.2 million, N9.7 million, N6.5 million and N122,100 kept in different bank accounts, by Emon Okune, Chisom Iwueke, Maureen Chidimma and Ejeaka Ifeoma respectively.
Other items forfeited by the respondents are a Toyota Lexus and Venza sport utility vehicles.
