The Management of Ohha Microfinance Bank in Enugu State has expressed concern over what it called the inability of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to charge one Mr. Oliver Anidiobi to court over alleged fraud amounting to over N219 million.
The Bank raised the concern in a petition it addressed to the EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde and made available to DAILY POST.
The petition was signed by the Bank’s counsel, Olu Omotayo.
Omotayo said it was shocking that despite conclusion of investigation on the matter over six months ago, the commission had refused to charge the suspect to court.
He said the legal unit of the anti-graft agency had continued to give one reason after another, thereby allowing the suspect to escape the course of justice.
The petition reads: “We write to you in respect of the above-mentioned matter on behalf of Ohha Micro Finance Bank of No.1, Ogui Road who we shall hereafter refers to as our client. We have its instructions and authority to write this petition to you.
It should be noted that this case was first reported to the Commission in January 2018, and it was further referred for thorough investigation by the Chairman of the Commission based on a petition made to him on the 4 th July 2018.
“Our client was happy when the BF Section which investigated the matter informed us sometimes in the month of October 2018, that investigation into the matter has been concluded and the file is now in the legal section and the matter would soon be charged to court. Six months later the suspect Oliver Anidiobi who obtained N219 Million Naira by false pretence is walking the street a free man and boasting that nothing will happen. The moneys stolen by Oliver Anidiobi are depositors moneys (poor people in the society). The Legal section up till date refused to charge the suspect to court.
“Sometimes in February 2019, I accompanied the Managing Director and another Director of Ohha Microfinance bank to meet the Head of legal Section and he assured us that the suspect would soon be charged to court as they are amending
the charge to reflect that the matter will be charged at the Federal High Court and to also reflect the offence of obtaining by false pretence.”
He added that “It is 2 months after now and nothing has been done. Our client believes that with the way things are going in this matter they may not get justice in this case hence the appeal to your office to ensure that this suspect is charged to court forthwith.
“We submit that the war against corruption of the Federal government will be meaningless if after investigation the case file against a suspect is dumped somewhere and the suspect are allowed to go scot free. Justice delayed is justice denied.”
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