Court of Appeal Upholds Conviction of Ex-Imo Transport Commissioner c

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The Court of Appeal in Owerri, Imo State, has upheld the conviction and one-year prison sentence of Mr. Lasberry Okafor-Anyanwu, a former Commissioner for Transport under Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration.

Delivering the judgment on July 30, 2025, Justice Mohammed Lawal-Abubakar ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The appellate court found that Okafor-Anyanwu fraudulently acquired government property and used his public office for personal enrichment. Consequently, the court dismissed his appeal, describing it as lacking in merit.

Okafor-Anyanwu’s conviction was originally delivered by the Imo State High Court on March 14, 2023. He faced a three-count charge related to fraudulent acquisition of property and abuse of office. Although he was acquitted on one count, the trial court found him guilty on counts two, three, and four.

The court heard that between 2015 and 2019, Okafor-Anyanwu, who first served as Chairman of the Committee on Review of Imo Transport Company and later as Commissioner for Transport, illegally awarded a management lease to Oma Oil & Industries Ltd—a company where he was Chairman, Director, and sole signatory to its bank accounts.

The EFCC presented evidence showing that Okafor-Anyanwu diverted N180 million from the Imo Transport Company’s funds into Oma Oil’s corporate accounts. This included a N100 million transfer from Imo State Microfinance Bank in November 2017 and an additional N80 million transfer from the Ministry of Transport in January 2018. The appellate court ruled that these actions violated Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The judgment also affirmed the forfeiture of the diverted N180 million to the Imo State Government, as earlier ordered by Justice K.A. Lewanya of the Imo State High Court.

This ruling marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, underscoring the judiciary’s resolve to hold public officials accountable.

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