EFCC files fraud charges against Hembe, deputy

An Abuja High Court yesterday approved the arraignment of Iorwase Herman Hembe and Azubuogu Emeka Ifeanyi on May 17 over alleged diversion of public funds.

Hembe and Ifeanyi were serving as chairman and deputy chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions respectively before a bribery allegation by the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, during the public hearing on the activities of SEC, led to their replacement.

Ruling on the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking leave to prefer criminal charges against the lawmakers, Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar held that the application has merit based on the proof of evidence.

In the two counts charge brought by counsel to the EFCC Mr Onjefu Obe, the anti-graft agency alleged that Hembe and Ifeanyi converted to their own use the sum of $4095 given to them by the SEC as travelling allowance to a conference in Dominican Republic in October, 2011.

The offence is contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The lawmakers had denied both allegations in their statements to the EFCC.