Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, will appear before a Senate Committee on Ethics on Wednesday for legislative questioning over allegations that he diverted over N1 trillion proceeds from corruption recovered by the anti-graft agency.
The summon was issued to Lamorde by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions following a petition sent by one George Uboh, claiming that the EFCC boss stole over N1 trillion from the funds recovered by the anti-graft agency from convicted leaders.
Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, a security firm, in his petition dated July 31, 2015, accused Mr Lamorde of specific instances of under-remittance and non-disclosure of proceeds of corruption recovered from criminal suspects.
According to the petitioner, part of the money diverted by the EFCC boss included the loot recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, and ex-Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun.
Both the petitioner and the accused, Lamorde are expected to be grilled by the Senate committee at the Meeting Room 120 of the New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, on Wednesday.
According to the petition which was addressed to Senate President Bukola Saraki, Mr Lamorde is accused of carrying out many diversions while he served as the Director of Operations of the EFCC between 2003 and 2007 and also as an acting Chairman of the commission between June 2007 and May 2008.
The petitioner alleged that in March 2013, the EFCC boss diverted the sum of N779m out of the total N3bn forfeited by former police chief, Tafa Balogun to the Federal Government. He also alleged that the EFCC boss conspired with some officials of the anti-graft agency to under-remit the former IG’s forfeited funds of about N5.85bn into the Consolidated Revenue Account by holding back about N2.65bn.
The petitioner assured the Senate that he was ready to provide unparalleled evidence to back his allegations against Lamorde. Both men are expected to appear before the Senate by 10am on Wednesday August 26.
By Olisemeka Obeche
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